Gone Awry
by Recyclable
Summary: After her parents were murdered by Death Eaters, Ash is left to fend for herself until her family from England come and get her out of the slumps. Throughout the summer they mended her back to life and when the new school year starts, she's excited to go to Hogwarts with her cousins, Ron and Ginny Weasley. But when she gets sorted into Slytherin her plans go awry... REVIEW PLEASE!
1. Prologue

At one minute to 11 a small company of people rushed through the barrier, they didn't have much time to take in the picture, yet they all caught their breath when they crashed through the brick wall on the third pillar in between platforms 9 and 10 and entered platform 9 and 3/4. In front of them the candy red train stood proudly, steam pushing out of the chimney, signalling that the ride of a lifetime was about to begin. All along the platform families stood together talking, laughing, hugging each other. Mothers and fathers bidding their children farewell and wishing them a good year in Hogwarts, where they would soon arrive and learn about the mysteries of the magic world and how to successfully use this magic to succeed in life in the wizarding world.

As soon as the whole company had run through the barrier they only had time for a quick farewell call to the plump red haired women and her red haired husband, Molly and Arthur Weasley, before the train blew it's whistle to signal that it was about to depart. Quickly they made their way into the train, heaving their trunks along. As soon as everyone was inside the train it started to move. Together they gave the platform and the two Weasleys one last look and then searched for a empty cabin.

Next to a brown haired boy with the green eyes and the lightning shaped scar on his forehead, listening to the name of Harry Potter, the red haired boy with brown eyes and freckles, named Ron Weasley and a brown untamed haired girl with her brown eyes, called Hermione Granger (commonly known as the Golden Trio) were Ron's younger sister Ginny Weasley - who soon abandoned the small group to sit with girls of her own age - and another girl with reddish blond hair and warm green eyes. Together with the Golden Trio, she made her way towards an empty cabin.

Once they had found one they started to settle in, getting the trunks stored away, fighting over who would sit at the window - Harry and Ron won - and getting comfortable for the long train ride ahead.

"So... tell me about the people in Hogwarts, who do I have to be careful with, who can I trust?" the blond girl asked the Trio after all the small talk on music, food, colours, favourites and etc. had already been exhausted.

"Well, we told you about Neville and Luna already, also there are the Patil sisters, Dean and Sean... you know the people from the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff are all awesome people, which you can always get along with. You only have to be careful around the Slytherins." Hermione explained.

"Oh yes, be careful with the Slytherins! They are known for their cunningness, but another main trait of theirs is that most of them come from Death Eater families and are destined to become one as well," Ron added.

"And you'll have to be especially careful of Draco Malfoy," Harry continued.

"Draco Malfoy? What about him?"

"Do you really want us to list all of it?" Hermione laughed, "Let's just say, he's an spineless, arrogant, snide git who thinks he's better than everyone else."

"Wait... Malfoy... Malfoy... Ron, is he the guy who always called Hermione a Mudblood, that you told me about?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Oh, OK... well, sound like an ass to me." The four of them laughed as the compartment door slide open.

"Speaking of me, are we now?" Everyone looked up. In the compartment door stood a tall and slender boy with pale skin and silvery blond hair. He was looking at the Trio, seemingly not noticing the fourth person in the compartment.

"What makes you feel so special that you would think we were talking about you, Malfoy?" Harry asked while glaring at the boy with the knife sharp features.

"Hmm, nothing I only heard ass and knew you had to be thinking of me," Malfoy smirked.

"Ah, damn, it seems we didn't do a good job in hiding our opinion of you," Hermione countered.

"Whatever Mudblood," Draco sneered while rolling his eyes.

"You little spinle-" Ron started but was cut off by a look Hermione gave him.

"It's OK Ron," she whispered.

"No it isn't!" Ron insisted, "why do you let him call you that?"

"I... I... Just leave it"

"You heard Mudblood, Weaselbe, leave it." Draco sneered with his smirk plastered on his face again. Harry was about to jump up from his seat and hit Draco, but his other companion was faster. Time seemed to stop as they heard the sound of skin against skin and saw Malfoy's head turn sideways.

"What the fuck?" he asked looking down at his assaulter, the tall strawberry blond girl with green eyes, pale skin and baggie pajama pants.

"You ask what the fuck? No, no, no, Mister. I have to ask, what the fuck? Who the hell do you think you are calling anyone Mudblood?"

"Who are you?"

"I asked first."

"Well I'm not giving an answer before I know who you are."

The girl eyed him suspiciously. "Ash Weasley's the name, and now what's your problem with my cousin and his friends?"


	2. Chapter 1 - Welcome to Hogwarts

The girl eyed him suspiciously. "Ash Weasley's the name, and now what's your problem with my cousin and his friends?"

"Weasley? _Another_ Weasley? Oh Merlin, your family is reproducing like rabbits, Weaselbe!" Malfoy laughed looking at the red faced Ron in the back of the compartment. Ron glared in return.

"I asked, what's your problem with them?" Ash insisted, looking at Malfoy sternly making him shift his attention back to her.

"My problem? Nothing much really, only their existence," Malfoy sneered in answer looking down at the girl.

Her eyes formed a glare as she slapped the blond boy once again and pushed him out of the compartment while closing the door into his face. Once the door closed she let out a frustrated sigh and let herself fall back into her seat. Then she looked at the others and declared "What an ass." With that her compartment inmates were sent into fits of laughter.

For the rest of the ride they sat in their compartment, talking and laughing, with only a short break to change into their uniforms.

The Great Hall of Hogwarts was slowly filling up. Ash was sitting together with the Golden Trio, Ginny and Neville at the table of the Gryffindors, watching as all the students made their way into the hall, laughing, joking and telling each other about their summer holidays.

After about ten minutes the flood of students started to ebb away and all were sitting at their tables, still talking and laughing, but also eager for the ceremony to finally start.

Another ten minutes passed until the doors of the Great Hall opened up again and made way for the first years that were to be sorted in only a few minutes time. One after the other stumbled past them and soon they had assembled in front of the teachers table. When all stood still, a tall man with a long white beard, that was tucked into his belt stepped up to the podium and cleared his thought. The noise of the student body ebbed down instantly.

"Welcome everyone to a new year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The students sitting at the tables either cheered or moaned at this. Chuckling the headmaster continued. "For those who are new to this school and those who may have forgotten, I am the headmaster of this facility, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. But now enough of my talking, let's start of by sorting our new students into the houses. Professor McGonagall, if you may."

"Thank you Professor. Now as a first, we will have to sort a new exchange student from the Wizarding School of Germany who will be attending her 7th year here, Ash Weasley if you would please come up here to be sorted now," she spoke in a matter-of-fact voice while looking around the room for Ash to stand up and come forward.

Ash swiftly looked around at her friends and family and then slowly stood up to get this torture past herself.

While she made her way across the room towards the Professors and the sorting hat she could feel all the eyes of the school on her, judging her, checking her out. When she finally reached the hat she quickly turned around and sat down on the chair, awaiting what would happen next.

While she made her way across the room towards the Professors and the sorting hat she could feel all the eyes of the school on her, judging her, checking her out. When she finally reached the hat she immediately turned around and sat down on the chair, awaiting what would happen next.

Before McGonagall sat the old ragged hat over her head and let it slide over her eyes she caught a last glance of her cousin Ron grinning up at her and giving her the thumbs up. Then everything went black...

_So who have we here?_ Ash jumped as she heard the voice of the sorting hat inside her head. _Weasley, another one? Merlin, it's been centuries since I was on so many heads of the same family._

Ash looked around a bit, feeling uncomfortable not being able to look at the source of the voice.  
_Just relax, don't worry, I don't bite_ the voice chuckled, _I'm just trying to find out where you belong._

Ash relaxed a bit, but kept ready to jump up and throw the hat across the room if she needed to.

_Where to put you? All the other Weasleys I had to sort so far were always very easy, all of them being brave and extremely bold. But you are different now, aren't you? Yes, would you have come here like the others when you were 11, you'd have fit the description of a Gryffindor perfectly..._

But not any more, am I correct? Sure, you have the same knack of disregarding the rules like those twins, you also stand up for your friends and family like your upbringing taught you. But you already saw too much of the world. You were brave, you were bold but during the years - especially the last one - you changed, haven't you?

You learned your lessons and your bravery turned into cunningness and self-preservation, your boldness turned into resourcefulness and then you also found out what ambition can do for you, the voice in her head seemed to be taunting her.

"How...What do you mean?" Ash asked in a soft, shaking voice.

_You may have been a Gryffindor some years in the past, but now you turned into a full blooded SLYTHERIN!_ he yelled the last part out and McGonagall ripped the hat off Ash's head.

Ash sat there, shocked. As did the rest of the Great Hall. For a second everything was silent, letting the information of a Weasley in Slytherin sink in. Then the table on the far left of the Great Hall erupted into cheers and two other tables in the middle clapped as well, only the Gryffindor table at far right of the Great Hall stayed silent.

Slowly Ash stood up from the chair. Glanced at the cheering table, then looked at the Gryffindor table at the other end of the hall, where she was greeted by a confused looking Golden Trio. Hermione tried to achieve a weak smile when she noticed Ash looking, but failed miserably. She could also see Ginny staring at her dumbstruck as if she were an alien. Quickly she looked away again, not wanting to see how these faces would turn into faces of disappointment or even hatred - didn't they always say how much they hated Slytherins? And now she was one of them...


	3. Chapter 2 - Slytherin

Turning away from the Gryffindor table, Ash took a deep breath and smiled, calmly turning to her cheering peers and heading towards them. They might not have been what she had expected, but bloody hell they were what she got, she would just have to make the best of it.

When Ash reached the table however, her resolve fluttered again as she wondered where to sit. The people her age all seemed to be sitting in the back of the long table, but there didn't seem to be any free seat as nobody had expected someone to join them later that night. But the only seats that were still available were the ones at the front of the Hall, where the first years would probably be sitting - and to be truthful she didn't really feel like sitting next with those kids she saw standing in front of the podium waiting to be sorted.

Facing this dilemma she looked at the end of the table again and saw that a girl around her age frantically waving at her, pointing to a seat that had appeared out of nowhere next to her. Ash grinned at the waving girl and quickly set off to join her.

Shortly before she reached the girl and the free seat she slowed down and looked at the girl more closely. The girl wasn't too bad looking, she had brown hair cut into a fashionable bob, a good body and nice brown-green eyes, and yet... she somehow reminded Ash of a pug.

Still smiling she sat down next to the pug-girl. "Thank you so much that I can sit here! You're a life saver"

"No problem at all," she smiled at Ash and held out her hand for Ash to shake, "I'm Pansy Parkinson, nice to meet you."

Taking her hand and shaking it she tried to remember where she had heard that name before. "Parkinson... oh yeah, isn't your father in the Ministry working in the Department of Law Enforcement?"

Parkinson looked at her surprised. "Yes, that's true... how did you know?"

"Oh, my father was also in the Department of Law Enforcement in Germany, they worked together at times."

Pansy smiled at her, as a slight cough from the other side of the table demanded her attention. She looked at the person who coughed, and then seemed to remember something. "Oh I'm sorry, I nearly forgot to introduce you to the others!"

Ash looked up surprised, just remembering that there were other people sitting around her as well. Quickly she sat down normally - having sat on one of her legs before in order to be able to sit a bit sideways and easier look at Pansy.

"So next to you is Theodore Nott." Ash turned to look at a tall brown haired boy. He didn't look to bad, just very average. He had short brown hair and dull brown eyes. He smiled at Ash and nodded his head in greeting.

"Next to Theodore is Millecent Bullstrode." Ash leaned a bit forward and stared at a girl that looked - such as the name suggested - like a bull. Millicent was black-haired and had a heavy jaw that jutted out in an aggressive fashion. She had a large, square build that seems to allow her to physically overpower other people.

"Across from Theodore there's Tracy Davis." The girl Ash saw was very pretty with long silky black hair and almond shaped chocolate brown eyes. She greeted the newcomer with a soft "hi" and a smile.

"And next to her is Blaise Zabini." Across of Ash sat an extremely good looking, darker skinned guy with beautiful brown eyes and short black hair. He was looking at her with a smirk and greeted her with a nod of his head.

"On his right we have Daphne Greengrass." Pansy said steering the girl's attention to a tall platinum blond haired girl with nice blue eyes and a cute smile.

"Then next to her is Vincent Crabbe," she pointed at a fat boy, with a thick neck, gorilla-like arms, and a pudding bowl-style haircut, he grunted as a greeting. (The only thought that came to Ash when she saw him was: 'What would happen if he could tuck in his limbs? He would start rolling down the hill...')

Still silently chuckling at her wonderful mental joke, Ash turned to look at the next boy - seemingly Crabbe's twin in ugliness. "This is Gregory Goyle," Pansy introduced as Ash leaned forward to look at the boy opposite of Crabbe. Both boys gave of the same vibes of idiotic bullies as they looked at her.

"And last but certainly not least there's Draco Malfoy," Pansy smiled a warm smile at the person she looked at next, "but you already know him, don't you?" she asked with a bit of a sneer in her tone. Ash slowly moved her eyes to look at the guy that she had met earlier that day in Hogwarts Express, the boy whom her cousin and his friends had always warned her from.

During the train ride she didn't have the time to look at him closely, but now she eyed him up and down. The boy she was looking at was way better looking than she had remembered. He was very tall, with a slender figure and pale skin complexion. He had slightly longer silvery blond hair and freezing cold gray eyes that seemed amused by the turn of events. His slightly darker rose lips smugly formed a smirk on his face and somehow seemed to pull her in. Quickly Ash looked away again and turned a light shade of red.

"Yes we already met. The ass that has a problem with my family, if I'm correct?" Ash remarked after the red had moved out of her face again.

Draco chuckled, as did his friends slightly later. "The one and only. But I must say, I'm somewhat surprised that you turned out to be a Slytherin, Miss Weasley."

"You're surprised, Mr. Malfoy? I think you should stop evaluating people by their heritage." she smirked at him. All of them laughed.

At that moment her eyes drifted above Blaise's head and met the eyes of a disappointed and furious Ron.

All of a sudden the table erupted into cheers and allowed Ash look away in order to see what the tumult was about. One of the kids had just been sorted into Slytherin. Ash smiled and clapped as she saw a little girl with brown pigtails came running towards the Slytherin table.  
Instead of having further conversations they all settled down and watched the sorting.

After 9 new Slytherin first years, 15 new Gryffindor first years, 12 new Ravenclaw first years and 18 new Hufflepuff first years the sorting ceremony was complete and the Headmaster stepped up to the podium again.

"Now that everyone is sorted into their Houses we only need to do two more things before starting the celebration. First, I have to remind all old and new students that it's strictly forbidden to go into the Forbidden Forest, hence the name. Secondly, we still have to sing our School Hymn to greet this new year. Now everyone choose your favourite tune and at what speed you want to go and sing!" He waved his Wand and the words of the Hogwarts Hymn appeared out of thin air in above the teachers table.

And surprisingly everyone started to sing, even the people around Ash. So, Ash picked the tune of the chorus of one of her favourite muggle songs - "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra, she got to know through a muggle-born friend in her old wizarding school - and started singing. It was harder then she had anticipated at first, but somehow she managed.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."

After the last of the singing students had finished their song Dumbledore cleared his throat once more and said: "Let the feast begin".

All over the table the dishes started to appear. There was nearly everything she could have wished for, she missed some of the German food that she always got at her old school, but as soon as she started eating, all of that was forgotten - this food was really good (considering it was English).

And so they feasted.

She talked a lot with the people she just got to know. They wanted to know a lot about her, she happily answered but changed topics quickly when they came to the particular topic of her family and the change in schools. Soon the group seemed to have figured this out and stopped asking about those topics.

It would have never occurred to her before, but although Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione always said bad things about them and definitely disliked these people Ash could not stop herself thinking that they were actually quite nice and she could see herself becoming friends with them, as weird as that seemed. The only ones she just couldn't quite warm up to were the Goons (Crabbe and Goyle) and Bullstrode.

Also Malfoy didn't become one of her all time favourites, but it turned out that he wasn't all that bad either - if one ignored the Weaselbe and Pothead jokes he did every now and then.

An hour later they had all finished eating (with the exception of the Goons) and Dumbledore resumed his place at the Podium. "Now everyone, it's about time to go to settle into your rooms, get to know your room mates and grab a bit of sleep! Prefects, you got the new Password to get into your dorms in the train and hopefully told them your peers. Don't forget your first years! And now I wish you a nice rest of the evening," and with this he dismissed the school.

Malfoy and Pansy sighed in unison and stood up. "First years to us! All Slytherin first years come to us, if you don't want to be left here!" Malfoy called out once he stood.

Pansy looked at the others and then at Ash. "Just go with the others they know where it is. Oh and guys, the password is 'Halloween'," and with that she joined Malfoy who was gathering the Slytherin first years around him.

All of the others also stood up and started to make their way to the Slytherin common room.

While Ash followed them she turned around one more time to look if she could find one of the other Weasley's, and sure enough she spotted Ginny rushing over to her.

"Um, guys, I'll be coming in a second but I have to talk to my cousin." Blaise who was the nearest to her turned around and looked at her and then Ginny, who was on their way over to them.

"But you don't even know where the common rooms located."

"Eh... yeah.. but... I guess I'll find it?"

Blaise let out a frustrated sigh and offered to wait a couple meters away until she finished. With a grateful smile she turned away from him and looked at Ginny who had finally reached her, Harry as a tag along with her.

"Ash..." she started as she stood in front of the other girl."…Congratulations on making it into Slytherin... I guess, although it sucks that you're not in Gryffindor."

Ash grinned at the ginger haired girl and swooped her into a hug, "Thanks, I already thought you'd scream at me!"

"Haha, nah you know me, I'm not a very loud person, but you should stay away from Ron for a while if you don't want anyone to start screaming." Ginny told her, making Ash laugh. "So how are they? Treating you alright?" Ginny asked concerned looking at Blaise who was leaning against a wall 10 meters away.

"Yes, they're actually quite nice, I don't get what you guys have against them."

"Weird in the train you agreed with us about Malfoy," Harry spat.

"Chill Harry. About Malfoy, yes I do agree that he is an ass, although not brainless like you guys said. But I'm talking about the others as well. From what I saw until now they seem human enough to me."

"Human? You do understand that most of these people you were sitting next to are the children of Death Eaters?"

"Yes, the children of Death Eaters, not Death Eaters themselves."

"Same difference," Harry shrugged.

"Wow Harry," Ash snorted shaking her head, "and you say Malfoy's the git." Looking back at the waiting Blaise - who looked extremely bored - she added, "OK, I think I should go now. Anyways, we'll see each other tomorrow, right?" she smiled at Ginny in hope.

"Yeah, probably." She smiled back with a sad smile. "Good night."

"Nighty night..." Ash said and watched as Ginny turned and started to walk away with Harry. "Oh and Ginny!" Ginny turned around to look at her, "don't let the bed bugs bite!" Ash added just loud enough for Ginny to hear and grinned. Ginny grinned back at her and watched as Ash walked up to Blaise, making her way to the Slytherin common room.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Common Room

Blaise looked up as he felt Ash near him. "Did you have a nice conversation with the Gryffindors?" he asked in a bored tone of voice.

"Well, it could have been a nicer conversation, but I guess you could call it successful," she smiled.

Blaise yawned and got up from his position of leaning against the wall. "Let's go then - or are there any other Gryffindors you've gotta talk to before going?"

"Haha, very funny. No, no one else I need to talk to. Thankfully they've got prefect duties to perform - no time for little old Slytherin me." Blaise snorted and nodded for Ash to follow him down the corridor.

The majority of the students had already gone into their common rooms and so everything was quiet around them, with the exception of an occasional echoing of running footsteps coming from somewhere down the corridors. While they walked Ash took in the scenery, trying to remember the way to the Great Hall. It was harder then she expected because the walls she walked past all seemed to look the same. Gray, gray, gray with a bit of moss on them, gray, gray, a broken stone, gray, gray, gray, gray, gray, gray, gray, gray ... (you get the idea).

"Well, if this isn't an exciting scenery?" Ash asked after a long period of walking in silence.

"No, not really."

"Didn't you hear the sarcasm?"

"I did, I just chose not to comment on it."

Ash gave Blaise a confused sideways glance. "So, tell me how is Hogwarts?"

"It's quite alright, would be better if we wouldn't have to go to classes though," Blaise said looking over at Ash. "Also, there isn't that much that you can do here. Hence, it gets boring quickly. But there's Hogsmeade - a little town that's quite near, which we can go to every now and again. Hogsmeade's a lot of fun," Blaise grinned.

Ash nodded and then asked, "What else is there to do?"

"Well, every now and then there are some interesting activities you can join, then there's the Quidditch tournament and well you always have someone around with whom you can just hang around. Also Slytherins love to have a good time, so we have tons of parties," he grinned.

Five minutes later, Blaise slowed down and stopped in front of a wall, that looked just like the other walls they had run past. Gray. Ash looked at him with raised eyebrows. He just smiled at her and whispered "Halloween".

All of a sudden the wall started to quiver and a stone slid out of the wall, then another one and another one, they folded into another up to make a archway through which Ash was presented with a passage way that led them towards the Slytherin-Dungeon, which she would call 'home' for the next year.

After a minute of walking down the hall that was lit with green lights every meter or so they finally came to the end. Ron and Harry had once told her that it had a very low ceiling and was very dungeon-like with greenish lamps and chairs, very unexciting, but when she entered it she saw a room that made her gasp in pleasure.

Yes, they had told the truth about it being having a low-ceiling, and that it somehow looked like a dungeon - hence the name - with greenish lamps and chairs, but it was also so much more. The floor was made out of green flat marble with darker green dots splattered on them. The big green couches where set around a big chimney in the middle of the room that reached from the floor to the ceiling with a Slytherin banner hanging on each side of it. Another pair of couches was purged in one of the corners of the room next to a doorway that she guessed led to either the boys or girls dorms. On the couches silver cushions were placed. Like the rest of the castle the walls were made out of the stone, and yet this one seemed a bit different, they were a bit darker then the ones she had seem before making it fit to the rest of the room.

On the walls hung the portrait of Salazar Slytherin the founder of the Slytherin house. One must say, he wasn't a beauty but you could see the determination in his eyes as well as his pride as his picture looked at all the new Slytherins. And through the warm glow of the green lights all of what she saw in the room seemed to comfort her. Ash instantly had the feeling of being where she belonged.

When they had entered the room Blaise instantly made his way over to a group of couches where the others were sitting and slid in between Tracy and Daphne, leaning back and putting his hands around them. As Ash started to follow him, she noticed that the couch group was placed in front of a wall that seemed to be an window into the Hogwarts lake, revealing a mermaid or fish swimming by every now and then, but mainly showed the calming swaying of sea weed. Memorized by the sight into the lake, Ash slowly made her way over to the group of friends sitting on the couch.

"Nice view, isn't it?" a voice asked behind her, making her jump and spin around. It was Malfoy.

"Yes, yes it definitely is," she answered breathless looking back out of the window.

"Come, sit down with us," he said in a soft voice and let his hand slip around her waist, leading her towards a couch that still had two places free, with only Pansy sitting at one end of it.

"So, what's the plan for tonight then?" Ash asked towards the neighbouring couch where Blaise was sitting.

"Today's more like a chill out get together. But we're going to have a BBQ tomorrow, if the weather holds." Malfoy laughed next to her, answering for Blaise.

"Oh OK, sound fun enough!" Ash said with a smile, about to settle into the couch and relax.

"So tell us something about you, your Weaselbe's cousin, right? Are you also poor like him?"

Ash looked at Bullstrode a bit shocked. "Um, I might be a Slytherin, but you're still talking about my family, idiot. Don't call him Weaselbe."

"I can call him like I want too," Bullstrode retorted.

Ash glared at her. _Chill, _she thought,_ chill down. No use in getting into a fight now..._.

Unexpectedly, a smug smile entertained her face as she answered. "Ok bull face, whatever you say, bull face. Go on calling him that if you wish, bull face." The girls around her giggled and the boys chuckled to themselves, while Bull face glared at her.

"Anyway, it was nice meeting you all, but I think I'd better search for my dorm and get settled in a bit." Ash smiled and stood up. Before she left, she glanced around at the people sitting on the couches one more time, she'd be stuck with them for the next two years and she didn't mind. They seemed nice enough, and even reminded her a bit if the people she had left behind in Germany - except for Bull Face, she could go suck cock for all that Ash cared. Content she smiled at them and then turned to walk away.

After three steps, however, she stopped again and turned around blushing. "Alright, this is embarrassing," she mumbled to herself, when she heard Tracy speak up.

"Through the door next to the couches back there and then take the door with the portrait of a good looking women in green gowns - one of those doors down that hallway should have your name of it." Tracy said with a warm smile while some of the others snickered.

"Thank you," she answered and left towards the door she had seen beforehand. She opened the door and just like Tracy said she was welcomed into a small room that held two doors. One with a portrait of a cute guy that somehow reminded her of the portrait of Slytherin in the main room and another one with a young girl in the same age of the boy. Both of them looked up at her when she entered.

"A new face," said the boy with a smirk. "Nice to meet you." He bowed. "I'm Shade Slytherin and that on the other door is my sister Slaza Slytherin," She did a small court bow. "And may we know your name?"

Ash chuckled, "I'm Ash Weasley, nice to make your acquaintance."

"It definitely is Ash Weasley," Shade smiled.

"If I may, I'm a little tired. But we'll see each other every day from now on it seems." Ash smiled and opened the door with Slaza's portrait.

As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted with another hall that was plastered with portraits and doors, on its floor lay a carpet. Ash went to the first door. 'Lance Woodland, Ken Doomsdale, Zane Hollaway' Ash raised her eyebrows and jumped when somebody started yelling at her. "WRONG DOOR! YOU IDIOT GIRL, GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Ash quickly turned and ran out the door again - met by a laughing Shade and Slaza.

"Haha, very funny, ate a clown for breakfast, did you now?" Ash spat and vanished through the other door, now she knew why the others had laughed - the portrays were pranksters... This hall looked exactly like the others only that the portraits in this room showed females. Quickly she went from door to door, looking at the name plates until she found hers. Quickly she opened the door and saw her bag at one of the four beds and lay down on it. Damn she was tired, before she even hit the pillow darkness had fallen over her.


	5. Chapter 4 - Good Morning Sunshine

_Ash was floating in darkness. She could see nothing except darkness around her. Yet there as an image that started to form around her as she floated._

When the image was fully visible she found herself stuck in a closet. All around her were coats hanging of hangers making it hard for her to move around, also there was only one light source, a small crack in the doors that allowed a small amount of fire light to pass through.

_She heard a sudden strange noise from the other side of the closet doors. Somebody had just forcefully opened an door. Alrhough she knew not to, Ash slowly leaned forward hopeing that she could see what was happening out there._

With one eye pressed against to crack she got a small view of a fire lit room with black leather seats set up in front of the chimney. Next to one of the seats she saw a red haired man in his mid 40's stand, wand pointing in front of him, shaking.

_Ash started shaking herself..._

_"What do you want?" he asked with a wavering voice, she could see the sweat running down his face. He was shaking from fear._

A low chuckle sounded from the other end of the room, which she couldn't see. "What I want? I want to invite you into joining our course," answered a cold voice that didn't seem to carry any emotions, Ash shivered listening to it.

"And become a Death Eater? Never!" the red haired man spat out.

"Then you leave me no choice," said the other voice. "Avada Kedavra!" She saw a bright green light flash out of nowhere hitting the red haired man square in the chest.'

"Father!" Ash screamed out, sitting up. She looked around, _Where am I?_ she thought confused, _Where's father? What happened?_ It took her a minute to remember everything that happened.

Biting her lower lip she fought against the tears that threatened to spill. She had promised to not cry ever again and she planned on keeping that promise. After she won the fight she closed her eyes again and let herself fall backwards again.

When she opened her eyes again she was greeted by a dark room with a green glow in it. Making it possible for her to make a picture out of the room. She was lying on an extremely comfortable queen sized bed, which wasn't too hard, nor too soft, with green silk covers and four posts on each edge holding up dark green curtains that she could draw close to get some privacy. Behind her she saw an empty book case. In the room were four beds that look similar to hers arranged in an arch shape around the door. In front of each bed stood a small table on which her trunk sat right now but could also be used to work on or be used as a night stand.

From under these tables the light green glow came from.

Next to her bed, which was one of the middle two was a door leading to another room, the bathroom, she guessed. Thinking about the bathroom she remembered that she was still in her uniform, so she slowly sat up and was surprised how warm it was in the room. She had expected to freeze when the covers slid of her body.

Quietly she crawled over her bed to her trunk and opened it in order to find a change of clothes. Today wasn't a school day and so she expected that she was allowed to wear casual clothing: Now all she had to do was find her clothes. Before she moved from Germany to England to live with her Uncle and Aunt one of her friends had put a spell on the trunk increasing its inner size so that it seemed to be an endless black hole when she looked inside it. It was very useful to have such storage room in such a small space, but her friend had miscalculated the size a bit and therefore it was nearly impossible to find something in it now. With a sigh she stuck her front body into the trunk and looked around. She thought that she had stored it somewhere left of the trunk so she started to pluck at different things that seemed to be floating in bubbles.

She was lucky. After only 3 tries her closet opened in front of her. She chose a black pair of skinny jeans and a long green shirt as well as a studded belt and a pair of Converse. Lastly she grabbed her towel and toiletries as well as her make-up kit. Then she quietly closed her trunks lid and slipped out of her bed onto a soft carpeted floor.

Two steps later she reached the bathroom door and slid inside. Once inside she looked around and started grinning. "Wow" she whispered as she looked at the wonderful bathroom that came to her eyes. It had black marble tiles of the floor and walls. In one corner of the room stood a big shower which you entered by walking into a foggy glasses passage way that led around the shower, reminding Ash of a snail house. In its middle was a rain shower head. Next to it was a big black round bath tub with whirlpool options and many different bubble options. On the adjacent wall were four sinks that were also formed with the black marble. Ash went to one of the middle sinks and started to place her toiletries around it, claiming it hers. Then she looked around some more and discovered the black toilet behind another wall screened from the sight of the bathroom. All of this was lit by a set of green lights that where hidden in the walls and under the sinks and other platforms and ledges, such as the tub rim, as well as a green tainted light rod that was placed on the wall between the toilet and the rest of the bathroom as well as over the sinks. In addition there were white lights around the sink mirrors of to give the girls the possibility to apply their make-up under normal light.

Ash set down her change of clothes and started to undress in order to go into the shower, when she saw another little pleasant surprise, a stereo standing next to the door. Turning it on, the Wizarding radio 'MagicFlash' started playing and filled the room with music, to which Ash sang along while she showered and got dressed. When she finished, she turned off the radio again.

Trying to be as quiet as she could be she opened the door to the bedroom again. She was surprised how light it was in here all of the sudden, she had expected it to still be the same green glow as before, but it had increased dramatically, flooding the room with a warm glow. Then she remembered her friend talk about something like this. Lights that shine like the light of the light outside, they where mainly used in rooms with no windows, like this one. Fascinated Ash tip-toed to the door and slipped out of the room.

She was about to set off through the hallway when she remembered that she forgot to check with whom she was sharing her room yesterday evening and so she went back to her door and looked at the placards declaring the names of the people in her room.

**Tracy Davis**

Ash Weasley

Pansy Parkinson

Daphne Greengrass

Ash smiled and thought to herself, _good, only people I actually know._

Satisfied she walked down the hallway and out of the door that joined the girls and boys dorms saying good morning to the two paintings as she passed them and went into the common room.  
She thought that she would be the first one up and the only one in the common room and was therefore surprised when Malfoy looked at her from one of the couches in front of the window.

"Morning," she said.

"Morning yourself. Why are you up already? Its only 7 o'clock," Draco asked stifling a yawn.

"Could ask you that myself. I just couldn't sleep any more. What about you?"

"Same."

Ash sat down next to Malfoy and looked out at the waving seaweed.

Together they sat there in silence for a few minutes, with Malfoy glancing over at Ash every now and then. "So," he started, "Ash, why did you transfer to Hogwarts this year?" Ash looked at him as if he had just appeared out of thin air.

"Oh, um, well that was because of family reasons."

"Family reasons? What sort?"

"Eh, you know I'd rather not speak of it right now if that's alright with you."

"If you say so," he shrugged and went back on staring out at the water. All of a sudden a huge tentacle appeared out of nowhere making Ash jump up in surprise and grabbed a hold of Draco's arm.

"What was that?" she asked with a slightly shaking voice.

Malfoy chuckled using the opportunity to sling a arm around her shoulders, "That was our giant squid, love." Ash gave him a sideways glance and then looked at his hand on her shoulder.

"Um, OK. I think I'll be going on a little expedition through the castle." Ash said and hurriedly stood up, making the Malfoy's hand slip of her shoulder. "See you later," she said, not waiting for a reply as she hurried out of the common room, along the passage way and through the stone wall.

Once she stood outside of the Dungeon she sighed and looked left and right. "OK, now where to start?" As if to answer her, her stomach started to grumble. "Alright, that means breakfast first. Now how do I get to the Great Hall?" Ash looked down the corridor again.

When she came to the common room with Blaise, did they come from the left or the right?

Unsure she started to walk down the left end of the Hallway. Then turned around and walked the other way for a few steps.

Biting her lower lip she closed her eyes and turned around to face the wall once again.

"Halloween," she muttered and the wall opened up revealing the passageway once again, with a smirking Malfoy standing in it.

"Need help in finding your way?" he asked slyly.

"How-?" Ash asked confused and then glared at Malfoy as she saw his smirk. "No I don't," she spat and turned left again and began striding down that way with confidence, until she heard him chuckle. She stopped short and slowly turned her head to look at him. "What?" she spat once more.

"I'm guessing you're searching for the Great Hall, am I right?"

"Yes, so?" She asked.

"Oh nothing, but you'll have problems finding it in a dead end," he answered amused. Ash glanced over her shoulder. "Dead end?"

"Yes, if you strain your eyes a bit you might notice the wall at the end of the corridor in about 600 meters."

Ash sighed. Turned around and went to stand in front of Malfoy. "OK, where is it?" she asked defeated.

"Where is what?"

"The Great Hall." she answered a bit agitated. Malfoy leaded against the wall that had closed behind him.

"And what do I get for telling you?"

Ash stared at him, mouth a gap. Then snorted. "Fuck you." With this she started to walk down the right end of the corridor.

She could hear Malfoy following her silently. Knowing that she'd soon be faced with a problem again. Ash increased her pace till she came to a crossing of two corridors. She quickly glanced at Malfoy who was about 20 paces behind her and started walking down the right pathway.

After walking about 40 paces she looked back at Malfoy who was still standing at the crossing looking at her with a bored expression. She took another step while looking at him. He didn't move an inch.

Ash stopped. "It's not this way, am I right?" she suggested.

"Not even close."

Ash took a deep breath and stormed down the way she just came, right past Malfoy and onto the left path. After 20 paces she heard Malfoy starting to follow her once again. Satisfied she continued down the corridor until she came to a fork.

Malfoy came to stand next to her. "And now?"

Ash looked at Malfoy, pissed. "Tell me."

"And what do I get for that?"

"Breakfast."

Malfoy laughed, "oh I can live without it for another hour or so."

Ash glared and let out a frustrated sigh. She looked at the two corridors. Where was her sense of direction when she needed it? She put her hand over her face, trying to remember where she had come from the night before, but she couldn't even remember that there was a fork and she already stood at the second one. On top of that her stomach roared for food. Defeated she let out a sigh. "What do you want?"

Malfoy looked at her. "Not much," he said with a smirk and turned to face her, his hands winding around her body, pulling her close.

"Forget it," she said while watching his face close in on hers. "That will never happen." Shortly before his lips touched hers she turned her head to the side making him give her a peck on the cheek.

Malfoy smiled. "Alright if you want to play it this way," he said and let go of her.

Then he went backwards and looked at Ash as he leaned back against the wall "I have time."

"Don't you have enough girls falling all over you?"

"There's never _enough_," he said emphasizing the enough.

"What about Pansy?"

"What about her?"

"She seems to like you, a lot."

"She's liked me since even before we started school together."

"So wouldn't she be hurt?"

"Why should I care about that?"

"Ass," she said and started to walk towards him. When she stood in front of him she looked at his lips, took his face into her hands and gave him a soft kiss. His lips were soft against hers and made a shiver run through her spine. After a second he tried to sneak his hands around her again but she slapped his hands away and stopped the kiss stepping back a step, taking a deep breath and opening her eyes once again.

Malfoy stood against the wall with his eyes closed for a second letting electricity flow out of his body again. He licked his lips, tasting the remaining sweetness of her lips against his once more.

When Malfoy opened his eyes he saw her standing in front of him with an emotionless expression. "Now, show me the way," she said just as emotionless.

"Seem that wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked smirking his infamous smirk and then nodded to the right hand corridor. "This way," he showed her the way pathway for pathway so she would be able to remember the way later on as well.

After about 15 minutes later they were sitting opposite each other in the Great Hall, not talking, and ate their breakfast. Malfoy was eating eggs and bacon while Ash was eating some waffles with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce.

Annoyed by the silence Malfoy opened his mouth to say something when a harsh voice behind them interrupted.

Surprised Ash looked up at the source of the voice, seeing a red faced Ron Weasley.

"Oh bugger," Malfoy heard her mutter. "Mommy found me." Out loud she said "Morning Ron, how can I help you this beautiful morning?"

"Why are you sitting with him?" he spat out the him looking at Malfoy. Draco glared at Ron but then shrugged and went back eating his eggs.

"Ron, that's because he's the only one of my age that is already awake and eating his breakfast and I don't really enjoy sitting around alone," Ash answered softly whilst rolling her eyes. "But don't piss your pants Ron, I still think he's an ass."

"How is it even possible that you became a Slytherin? A Weasley in Slytherin is just wrong!" he said furious.

"Chill Ron."

Ron looked down at her and let out a defeated sigh. "So, how are you? Are they treating you alright?"

Ash smiled at him warmly, "I'm alright, a bit confused and totally lost when it comes to finding places around here, but other than that I'm alright. And yes they're treating me good. Don't worry, I can defend myself without a problem if I would need to" Somewhere behind them Harry called Ron's name. "Now go to the others, send them my greetings and don't worry about me."

Reluctantly Ron turned around and slowly went away to join his friends.

Ash sat back down in front of Malfoy and went back eating her food. "Weaselbe seems to be concerned."

"Don't call him that. And yeah, but that's nothing new now, is it?"

"Ha, nah not really."

Again silence fell around them.

"Are he and Granger actually going out yet?" Ash looked up at Malfoy surprised.

"Nope, not that I know of and I don't think that changed last night."

"Oh Merlin, how long will they keep shoving it up? It's annoying!"

Ash laughed. "Wow... I didn't think you were so concerned for their well being."

"I'm not but after 7 years of seeing them goggling at each other nearly every day like love sick puppies, only saved by the occasional holidays, it's just plainly annoying." Malfoy replied rolling his eyes.

In that moment Pansy slung her arms around Malfoy's shoulders hugging him. "Morning Dracie."

Ash burst out laughing, "Dracie?" she giggled.

Malfoy glared at her. "I told you not to call me that Pansy."

"But, Dracie! -"

"No, Pansy."

"OK OK, touchy much," she said rolling her eyes, but Ash could see that she was hurt. She felt guilty for kissing Malfoy earlier that morning, although it was her stomach to blame. But she felt even more guilty because she had enjoyed that electrifying kiss, even if it was only for a few seconds. _No, no, I did not enjoy it_ she told herself.

All of a sudden she felt another presence next to her. Blaise had sat down and started to put some of the food on his table. On her other side Tracy sat down and wished her a good morning.

"Where were you all of a sudden this morning? When we came into the room you were already passed out on your bed and when we woke this morning you were already gone! We couldn't even really get to know you! It's as if you were running away from us all the time," she accused her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yesterday I was a bit pissed at Bull face and therefore wanted to get away before I got to angry and spoil all the evening and when I got to the room I found that I was way more tired than I had noticed. And today I woke up early in the morning and didn't want to wake you. When I saw that Malfoy was up as well we went to grab some breakfast"

"It's alright, don't worry! I mean we have a whole year!"

"Hey Weasley," Ash heard Malfoy say. She turned her head to look at him. "Call me Draco, alright?"

Ash pulled up her eyebrows, "Only if you call me Ash." Malfoy smiled at her, not his infamous smirk that seems to have been plastered on his face, but actually a real smile. Ash smiled back.


	6. Chapter 5 - Spontaneus Actions

Now they were already six people sitting as a group on the Slytherin table and ate their breakfast. Ash talked a lot to Blaise and Tracy, who were sitting next to her, while Draco, Pansy and Daphne were having a conservation about a party that had been held in the previous summer holidays.

"How do you like Hogwarts so far? Is it better than your old school?" Tracy asked at one point.

"Better than my old school? I don't know really, I didn't see enough of Hogwarts yet to answer that question. I do miss my old friends! But we're still in contact so that's not too much of a problem. They won't let me go two days without the newest gossip! But my old school was very nice, it is located inside of a mountain in the Alps. OK I know that kind of sounds, um well, dark and gloomy but it wasn't at all! It was a very bright and cheerful place. Our common room actually reminds me of some places in it!" Ash smiled as she remembered.

"One of the best things there was that in the winter we were able to ski and snowboard down the mountain and go to the après-ski parties the muggles in the area organized. If nothing else, you can say muggles can party," she laughed.

"You hung out with muggles?" Blaise asked with a sneer.

"Get that sneer out of your tone, my friend," Ash laughed. "Yes, I partied with muggles and hung out with a few of them every now and then. Got a problem with that?" she continued turning serious.

Blaise looked at her intensely, silently battling it out. Blaise folded. "No, I don't. I just don't understand why a witch would hang out with muggles."

Ash shrugged, "Like I said they throw good parties."

"Blaise how about we show her around a bit? And tell her where everything is." Tracy asked. Ash looked at her excited.

"That would be great!" she exclaimed with a smile at Tracy and then turned to Blaise, joy jumping in her eyes.

"Sure why not. But let's finish eating first, I'm hungry," he said and went back eating his food. Quickly Ash followed suit and ate the rest of her waffles and a fruit salad.

Shortly before they finished there was a screech of an owl at the ceiling. Ash looked up confused. "The post is here," she heard someone in the Great Hall call. Ash looked out for her pitch black owl, Schneeball (German for Snowball).

After a minute or two she found her and at the same moment Schneeball as well as two other owls, one of them being the old and battered Weasley owl, Errol, falling into Daphne's bowl of cereals as it tried to land and another a gray mountain owl named Quelle (German for Water-spring), from her friend Kat.

"I'm so sorry about that Daphne!" Ash said trying to hold back her laughter as the owl jumped out of the bowl, shook itself and hopped over to her.

Daphne glared at her but didn't say anything, only started to swipe off the milk that splashed over her and her deep purple shirt and mini skirt. Quickly she tied the letters of the old owls leg and sent it off again with a thank you. Then she turned to Quelle and took down the package of letters that were tied to its legs and lastly the big package of Schneeball's leg. She stroked both of their backs once and then also sent them off to get some rest before flying again. Before Quelle started to fly she told it to wait with the other owls so that she could give her some letters in return.

With an answering hoot it flew away.

"Wow, you're popular," Tracy said as another owl suddenly flew over her head and let a German witch Magazine fall in front of her and shortly after wards also the Daily Prophet found its place on top of the pile of letters.

"Not as popular as you think," Ash said and took two letters out of the pile standing up. "If you would excuse me for a second," she smiled and went over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Ginny!" she called out as she reached the table and neared the red haired girl. All of the girls she sat with looked up and smiled at her and wished her a good morning. "Here, Errol only made it to me," Ash smiled as she passed one of the letters to her cousin.

"Ah, thanks Ash," she said a bit embarrassed. "It's time for us to get a new owl."

"Haha, don't say that! He might hear you!" she laughed. "Anyway, I wish you guys a nice day!"

"You too!" Ginny smiled looking up from the letter from her mother once again.

After delivering the letter to Ginny she went down the table a bit further to where Ron was sitting. "Hey Ron!" she called out like she did when she came to Ginny. But the reaction she got from his friends was different from the group of friends before.

Even Harry and Hermione eyed her warily, even though they knew her and she had thought of them as a friend. As soon as she came a bit nearer they all stopped talking to each other. "Hey guys," she said trying to ignore this change in attitude.

"Hey," they muttered in unison.

"Um... OK... well, here Ron," she said stretching out her hand to give him the letter of his mother. "Errol didn't quite make it here so he just came to me to deliver the letters. You should have seen it! He flew right into Daphne's cereals and splashe-" She stopped short as Ron broke her off.

"Thanks for delivering the letter, anything else?" she noticed the dark atmosphere that had spread around the group of friends since she stood there.

"Um, no... I guess I'll be going then..." she said looking down at the ground.

"Yes, do that." And with that he turned his back on her and started talking to his friends again.

Hurt Ash turned around and made her way back to the Slytherin table. She knew when she wasn't wanted somewhere. But it especially hurt her that her cousin had been so cold to her although she thought of him as something like a brother and even as one of her best friends...  
When she was back in her seat between Tracy and Blaise she let her head fall on the table and wrapped her arms over it.

"Ash, are you OK?" Blaise asked concerned, placing a hand in between her shoulder blades.

"Yes, yes I'm fine," she answered with a sigh and looked up again to see, all of them looking at her concerned.

"You know that fine means: Fucked Up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional; right?" Malfoy said.

Ash chuckled. "It's nothing. Just Ron behaving like an ass."

"Tell us something new," Blaise muttered. Ash couldn't help but laugh softly.

"Well, I guess I should start reading these letters, or I'll never finish," she said while reaching for the first letter.

"Ash, how about we show you around the castle first and then we can go to the common room and focus on the letters before going to the BBQ. Sound good?" Tracy asked while placing a hand over the letters.

"Oh, yeah sure. Sounds good." Blaise and Tracy stood up and Ash piled up the letters and picked them up following suit. "Bye guys, see you later," she said while life seemed to flood back at her. "So, where do we start?"

"Well you already know the common room and the Great Hall; so how about we start of by showing you where some of the classrooms are and where the library is. Then we can show you the grounds and lake as well as the Quidditch patch," Tracy planned out. "Oh, by the way do you play Quidditch?"

"Yeah I do, in my old school I was part of the Quidditch team."

"What position do you play?" Blaise wanted to know.

"I'm a Beater," she said.

"A Beater? I thought you'd be a Chaser or Seeker."

Ash laughed, "yeah I get that a lot. It's an advantage on the pitch though. Everyone underestimates me there. They don't think I can hit the Bludgers hard enough. I love their confused expression when it suddenly hits them - literally. I'm actually quite strong, you know. How is the Slytherin team? Draco's the Captain, right?"

"Yeah he is. How'd you know?"

"Ron and Harry told me all about Quidditch in Hogwarts," she answered.

"Oh OK."

"Here's our first destination, the potions room. Here, Professor Snape our Head of the House, teaches potions." Tracy told Ash as they stood in front of a heavy door in the dungeons. Next Ash got introduced to the moving stairs, which fascinated her as well as made her scream when one of them started moving while they were on it.

Next they went to the Transfiguration's and History classrooms and then many more. After about two hours of wandering through the castle we came to the last room, the Astronomy tower. From up here one could see almost all of the Castle's grounds.

The lake was glittering in the sunshine, many students were sitting at its edge or under the trees of the forbidden forest together laughing and chatting. In the far end of her view she could see the Quidditch ground and a little wooden hut where she guessed Hagrid lived.

"Wow, this is beautiful" she exclaimed fascinated by the sight. Tracy leaned against the banister of the balcony next to her.

"You should see it at night," she smiled to the other girl.

"I have a question, its been bothering me quite a bit... how come everyone here walks around normally? Is there a rule against flying inside the school building or something?"

"Of course there is... Did you fly around in your old school?" Tracy asked confused

"Yeah, but our school was set up differently. I just guessed that it was normal for witches and wizards to fly brooms and get to classes that way. But apparently that was only in my school because it was essential for us - we wouldn't have reached some classrooms without one."

"Why is that?"

"Well, that's because our school was a big hollow mountain. And although it had stairs hammered inside of the wall that led up to most of the classrooms there were some classrooms that were like caves in the wall, into which the stairway was unusable any more so we just flew up there with your brooms. Also the dorms where located in those types of caves."

"That sounds extremely weird," Blaise commented.

"Yeah, doesn't it? But it was a lot of fun being there," Ash smile up at him and then looked at the sun. "Guys do you know what time it is?"

"No, sorry don't have a watch on me," Tracy said and Blaise shook his head no.

"It's time to go for a swim!"

"What do you mean?" They started but where interrupted by Ash who jumped and grabbed onto Tracy's and Blaise's hands and started to run. Down the corridors they just came through and out of the building.

When they reached the lake Ash let go of their arms and took of her shoes and socks and jumped into the green blue lake. When she came out of the water again she looked up at the two still standing at the edge of the lake, looking at her as if she had grow three different heads.

"What are you waiting for?" she laughed and threw some water into their direction.

"Are you insane?" Blaise asked still in shock at her just randomly jumping into the lake.

"Nope, I'm spontaneous," she grinned. "Now come on in! It's nice and warm!"

"But we don't have a bathing suit or anything," Tracy answered.

"So? I don't have one either! Come on! It's fun! And don't forget we're witches! We can always magic ourselves dry again!" Ash argued.

"No sorry, I won't go in that lake. I'm not that crazy."

Ash sighed an defeated sigh and started to come out of the water and climbed up the little levitation they stood on.

"I guess I'll have to force you guys to your luck," she said and pushed then into the lake before they could register what she said. Then she jumped in right after them. When she came out of the water again she laughed at her two soaked friends, who in turn glared at her, murder in their eyes. If looks could kill she'd already be long dead and buried.

The two of them looked at each other and started to run through the water towards Ash, who in turn started to swim away from them in order to get safely away from them.

"You are so dead," she heard Tracy shriek.

"Come on look at the bright side of life! You where allowed to do something new and exciting," she laughed back at her when the two of them caught her.

"We're soaked!" Tracy screamed.

"So? You're a witch use magic to dry up again!" Ash still laughed. "Just look at it as a new experience and an awesome new memory!"

Blaise let go of her and Tracy stepped back. "A memory we will definitely remember..."

"Yes exactly," Ash smiled.

"You know what would make this memory even better?" Tracy asked and nodded at Blaise who continued. "Us dunking you under water for revenge." Ash became wide eyed and started to run away again but the two of them where faster and started to push her under water laughing.

When they let go of her Ash quickly looked at them and smiled. They were enjoying it, and she enjoyed it as well. It was nearly like it was with her friends from Germany.

After about half an hour of splashing around in the water together and a few odd stares by their fellow peers they got out of the water. Laughing, joking and pushing each other around. When they were on the ledge again Ash looked for her wand and found it inside her left shoe. Quickly they dried themselves up with a quick spell and made their way to the common room once again.

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Ash asked with a small smirk on her lips.

"It wasn't as bad as I imagined it to be," Tracy reluctantly admitted.

Blaise just shook his head and said, "Your crazy, did you know that?"

"Yeah I heard that one quite often," she admitted while laughing. Her hair was still wet, so as she shook her head the two people beside her cringed away.

"Merlin! Watch out where you spray your water, I just dried up!" Blaise swore and chuckled, pushing her away from him a bit.

"Pssh, touchy now, aren't we?" Ash giggled.

All of a sudden they heard a voice call Ash's name. The three of them turned around to look at who was calling her. Behind them stood the Golden Trio.

"Um hey," Ash said, unsure of how to react to them after this morning.

Ron looked at her then asked, "Could we talk to you? Under..." he looked at the other two, "Under 8 eyes?"

"Weasley, what you have to say to her you can also say in front of us," Blaise growled.

Ash looked at him and smiled. Ron looked at her in surprise. "So, you really turned into a Slytherin," he said.

"Ron what do you mean by that? If I wasn't an Slytherin before that hat would not have put me into Slytherin now, would he?" she reasoned.

"I always thought we were friends, not only family."

"We are! How can you say that?"

"No, no friend of mine would have befriended Malfoy and his clique after what I already told you about them."

"Weasley now your going to - " Tracy started but was cut of by Ash who raised her hand.

"Ron that's not fair. What you know is one side of the clique. But you know just like me that there are always two sides of the story. And as you also know I don't judge people by just hearing about them but by what I experience with them myself. You know that. I agree Draco can be an ass. I can't yet agree or disagree about many others and I don't agree that Tracy and Blaise are. They're witches and wizards like you and I are. Sure they've got a flaw or two, but so do you. And I don't understand why you can't see that."

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Ash cut him of before he could start talking.

"No, Ron. I saw your attitude today. I don't know why you behaved like you did and to be honest it would be a lie if I said I don't care. I do, and do you know why? Because you are not just my cousin but brother as well as friend. I thought that even if I could count on nobody else I could always count on you. But this shows once again how easily one can be wrong. You hurt me this morning and now you want to accuse me of hurting you by getting friends? Wow. Just wow."

Ash turned around and started to walk away, followed by Blaise and Tracy.

"Ash I -" Ron started once again.

"No Ron, I don't want to hear it," Ash called back and the three of them let the Golden Trio stand rooted to place.

"I'm sorry about that Ash," Tracy said, putting an arm around her.

"It's alright."

"No it isn't, he's your cousin and behaved like an ass towards you only because your in a different house then he is."

"Nah, it's not that I'm in a different house then he is, its because I'm in Slytherin."

"Well, you get what I mean..."

"How about we just forget about that for now and get to the common room, I mean we still have to get ready for the BBQ and I would like to answer at least one of the letters that I got today." And with that they stopped talking about the earlier incident and walked a bit faster to get to the common room as soon as possible.

*******

**Dear Ash,**

How are you, girl? School's about to start and I can just feel the bordum creeping up on me already. In the morning we're off to board the train. Without you there it will be so different and weirdly quiet, I just know it. Can you still remember the times we sat in class together and couldn't stop laughing because we managed to stick a kick me sign on Professor Dandelions back without him noticing?

I wish you'd come back and I'll see you like always in the train station, but I understand that you can't after what happened...

Anyroad, how's Hogwarts? Is it as nice as your cousin always described it? What house did you get sorted into? Gryffindor like you wanted? Talking of your cousins, how are they?

Write me soon!

Kat

Ash smiled at the letter. Kat had been her best friend in her old wizarding school. They had known each other for years. Quickly she got out a quill and jotted down her reply.

**Hey Kat,**

I'm doing alright over here. How about you? Is everyone alright? I miss you guys so much as well, but I was able to find some nice friends here as well.

Hogwarts not to bad actually, but totally different from our school. No ones flying around with their brooms and there a huge lake with a giant squid inside! Yeah, Ron described it pretty well, but he forgot to tell about the moving stairs cases and just how big all of this is!

I got sorted into Slytherin. A house where I found some good friends but sadly, Ron and all his friends distaste it, so we're having a small quarrel right now. But that will soon come to an end, I hope.

But as far as I see both of them are good.

Thank you for the letter, greet and hug everyone for me!

Oh and before I forget, THANK YOU FOR THE COOKIES!

with LOADS of love

Ash

Ash re-read her answering letter and sealed it with wax. Then she put it with the other 10 letters she had already written.

Now, only Aunt Molly's letter needed to be read and answered.

**Hello Dear,**

Congratulations for being sorted into Slytherin. We are very proud of you. I hope you will find some good friends there and learn well!

Just ignore Ron, I know that he's behaving like an ass, but you know him. Just don't take him serious, dear.

I wish you all the best and a lot of success!

Work hard,

Greetings from Author, Fred and George!

Molly

Ash laughed as she read the letter. Aunt Molly knew her son oh so well.

**Hello Aunt Molly,**

Thank you very much! You congratulating me means more to me than you might think. In the time I was already here I already had the possibility to befriend two awesome people! One of them is Tracy Davis and the other is Blaise Zabini. Their a lot of fun to hang around with! Although they will need a bit of training for spontaneous activities! But I'll have them up for no good in no time at all.

How did you know that Ron and I are fighting right now? Anyway, I already know that I cant take him serious right now, he'll get over it eventually. But it still hurts.

See you soon again!

Greet everyone from me!

Love,

Ash

With this the last letter was written and waiting for the delivery. Quickly she put on some clothes and asked Tracy to show her the way to the owlary. Together they quickly went there and sent of the two owls, Quelle to the Alps with the letters to her friends and Schneeball to the Weasley's.

While watching the two owls fly away into the distance, Ash suddenly felt a drop of water hit her face. Confused she looked up at the sky to see a gigantic black cloud floating above the castle. Turning to Tracy she quickly said "run" and grabbed her hand as they ran towards cover.

A few minutes and buckets of water soaking into their clothes later they finally reached the castle and got under cover.

"I don't know about you, but a BBQ in the rain, doesn't quite fit into my description of an successful evening," Ash said panting once they stopped for air.

"Yeah, I guess we'll just have to stick to the emergency plan now."

"And what's that?"

"Drown our sorrows at a party in the common room," she grinned and started pulling Ash back towards the Slytherin dungeons.


	7. Chapter 6 - The Party

They ran to the common room as quickly as they could, still dripping when they finally reached the gray wall. "Halloween," they stuttered shivering and the wall pulled apart before them.

Hurriedly they went into the common room where they saw that huge group of people, also soaking wet.

"I guess the BBQ had already started when it started raining," Ash muttered as she saw her fellow Slytherin's shiver and walk towards the rooms in order to change.

"No BBQ today guys, its pouring out of bucket out there," a 5th year called out to them hugging herself.

Ash rolled her eyes, "No shit, Sherlock".

"Don't worry, people! We're still gonna celebrate returning to Hogwarts!" Draco chimed from one of the couches and got up. His hair was still dripping but he had dried of his clothes. "We'll just have to relocate the party into the common room, it'll be a blast." The people in the common room cheered and started setting up the things they planned for the BBQ in the common room instead.

Still shivering due to the wet clothes, Ash and Tracy ran to their room to get changed and tell the others about the party relocation.

When they finally reached their room, Pansy and Daphne where already dressed and ready to go to the party.

"Hey guys!" Tracy said while she started stripping out of her wet shirt and pants.

"Hey... What happened to you guys? Fell into the lake?"

"Wish we had. No, it started raining outside. The party was relocated into the common room." Ash told them as she also started stripping out of the clothes that were clinging to her body.

"Damn. Now I have to change again!" Pansy wailed.

"Why? What your wearing looks stunning," Ash tried to calm her. Looking at Pansy's get up. She was wearing a light green summer dress with matching high heels and a matching green jacket on top.

"Are you seriously asking this? This is an outside dress, but if we're going to party inside I need to wear a inside dress," she explained as if it was common sense. Ash just frowned and turned away.

"Why are you all dressing up like this anyway? It's just a dorm party."

"Just a dorm party? No, no Ash, this isn't just a dorm party. Tonight's party is the time you show all the guys out there what your made of. It's the night to make them lust for you, make them crave you. If you work it right on this night, you won't have any troubles to get any of those guys out there do to you bidding."

Ash looked up at her room mates and furrowed her brows. Through with trouble they went to get with some poor bloke. She didn't understand all this commotion, just for a fuck and a broken heart. She thanked the Merlin that she wasn't one of the people who needed a boy desperately.

"So Ash, did any of the guys catch your interest yet?" Daphne asked.

"No not yet," she answered with a light voice but somehow that statement felt to her like a lie, when Draco's image popped into her head. His icy gray eyes, his platinum blond hair that looked so sexy when she saw him just a minute ago in the common room, when they framed his face in their wet form... his rose coloured full lips that had such a hypnotic pull to them for her... quickly she shook her head. _Bad Ash, bad. Draco is a no go and you know it._ Still the memory of the kiss filled Ash's mind.

"What about you guys?" she inquired hoping that she would be able to get rid of the image by talking.

"Well, I've heard Blaise was still be available," Daphne answered happily, Tracy just shook her head no.

"For me this will be a very special night, you see, today is the night I'll fish myself Draco again. With this dress, he has no way of escaping me." Pansy smirked as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black mini dress that showed way to much cleavage and ass for Ash's liking, but if that's what she liked.

"Again?" she asked confused.

"Yeah, Pansy and Draco were an item for the whole of 2nd and 3rd grade, but he broke up with her as he found out that there are other fish in the pond, if you catch my drift. However, she and Draco always end up together again at some point in time." Daphne explained as Pansy hissed at her and then giggled.

"Well my mother always said that you needed to keep guys on a loose leash, if you wanna keep them." Pansy giggled, "anyway, we'll go on ahead, don't take too long!"

Together with Daphne - who was wearing a dark gray skinny jeans and a green tank-top revealing her chest - she went out of the door and towards the common room.

Seeing that the others were already finished, Tracy and Ash hurried to get ready as well. Tracy, already having her shower things in the bathroom went into the shower first, while Ash tried to fish out the toiletries out of her trunk and started picking out a couple of outfit ideas.

While she waited for Tracy to finish in the bathroom Ash contemplated which outfit to wear. Either she could wear a jeans-blue skinny jeans with boots and a black blouse that was tight round her waist loosened right under her breasts. Or she could wear black leggings with a nice gray strapless mini dress that hugged hear breast nicely and frilled out as it hung down.

High light the cleavage, or not so much, highlight or not, highlight or not...

Just as she was about to give up Tracy came out of the bathroom and looked at the outfits Ash had laid out. "Nice, " she whistled, "which one your wearing?"

Ash looked up at her with puppy eyes. "You tell me."

Tracy chuckled and looked at the outfits again. Then nodded at the gray dress with a smile.

Grateful for her help Ash took the outfit and wet into the bathroom to get fresh and dressed for the party.

As Tracy and Ash made their way down the corridor, towards the common room, they could already hear the music blasting.

Excited they looked at each other before opening the door. The room was illuminated by the warm green lights and a couple of floating lights that someone had magicked there. One of the sofa colonies was pushed against the wall and had made space for a dance floor on which several people already grooved to the beat of the music and ground their hips together.

Next to one of the moved sofas Ash could see a bar and pulled Tracy to grab a drink. Once they both had a bottle of mead in their hands they looked around to see if they'd find some familiar face. While she looked around Ash noticed the shock in the eyes of the first years as they where introduced into the Slytherin way of partying.

All of a sudden she saw one of the more cocky first years go over to the bar and try taking an alcoholic beverage but quickly one of the goons stood in front of him, handing him a butterbeer. Ash smirked turning to were Tracy had stood a moment ago, only she wasn't there any more. Quickly she glanced around herself again, trying to catch a glance of where Tracy could have gone to.

Then she saw the clique and started moving towards them. "Hey you lame people, why are you sitting around on a couch? Isn't this supposed to be the party of the year?" Ash grinned and snaked her arms around Blaise and Theodore who were standing. Both boys looked down at her and the rest of the group turned to look up at her.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You can't tell me that you think a party is sitting on the couch until your to drunk to think straight and then doing stuff! In my dictionary a party means actually having fun while drinking, flirting and dancing. So come on people lets get this party started and dance a bit!" Ash grinned and pulled the two boys in her arms towards the dance floor, sure that some of the others would soon follow suite.

The moment the three friends appeared on the dance floor a new song started playing and Ash raised her arms in excitement and grinned at the boys. Then she started dancing like she used to in her Germany, when she and her friends visited discos and took part in the muggle apri-ski parties.

Sure to an onlooker her dance moves could have looked a bit sexual, but if you were actually dancing with her you could feel that she was only dancing for her own fun and didn't have any second thoughts. Yet she managed to excite the two boys enough that they stayed on the dance floor with her.

After two songs the others still had not joined her. Ash sighed and looked over to the group who where watching the three teenagers. Smiling she waved to the others to join them. No one moved.

With an annoyed sigh she stopped dancing, confusing the other two as she made her way over to the group again and grabbed Daphne and Tracy. "Come," she insisted, "its fun."

"No, I haven't drunk enough to dance yet." Daphne said

"Oh come on you loser, you don't need to drink to dance, just feel the beat..." and leaning closer to Daphne she added, "and Blaise."

Daphne turned red as Ash pulled away from her and winked. She didn't need any further convincing. Also Tracy seemed to give in as she saw Daphne start to dance. Soon the others also followed suite and started to dance.

A few hours, a couple of songs and a handful of mead bottles later the party was still far from ending, although the first and second years had been sent to bed and a couple of others had slid into the dorm quarters together. Including Pansy and Draco, about half an hour ago.

Ash had unconsciously watched the whole night as Pansy had pressed herself to him, groped him, smooth talked to him and near to humped him on the dance floor. Furthermore, she had seen him glancing towards her whenever Pansy was sucking off his face once again.  
Not once had Pansy parted from Draco's side and he hadn't pushed her away, only made sure Ash was there to see. See them dancing, see them making out, see them slid through the door together.

She had tried to tell herself that it didn't matter, that he was an ass anyway and that she wasn't the type of girl to go for such a guy...

Frustrated she let out a sigh and sat down on the couch. '_What the hell is happening to me? I've only known the git for two days now and already I'm getting jealous of... wait a second. Jealous? Why, by Merlin's beard, am I jealous? Sure he's hot, yes he does have the most extraordinary eyes that I have ever seen and hell yeah, that little peck on the lips I gave him this morning sent electricity all over, making my body beg for more. But I'm not in love with him, just attracted... right?'_

Ash slumped into the couch and took a deep breath. _I'm just a game to him. A new girl to conquer... probably even has a bet running with someone: how long it'll take for him to win this quest_ Ash snorted and slapped herself. "No chance in hell is he gonna win this quest," she muttered to herself and stood up to get another bottle of mead and dance a bit more.

Another half an hour flew past and Ash was starting to feel light headed, after she had drunk a glass of fire whiskey - the mead was gone. She was standing all alone at the edge of the dance floor, taking a break when an arm snaked around her waist and a harsh voice whispered "Hello sexy," into her ear, making her jump.

"Draco! What the hell, you gave me a heart attack!"

He snickered and tightened the arm wrapped around her waist. She caught her breath. "Wanna dance?" he whispered into her ear again and started walking onto the dance floor with her.

"Where's Pansy?" she spat, quickly looking around, thinking she could maybe escape - silently hoping she wouldn't see her.

"She's sleeping," he told her and started swaying his and her hips with the music.

"Listen Draco, I know about you two. Don't dare think that you'll be able to conquer me," she hissed at him.

He just smirked and snaked his arm further around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to conquer you Weasley. We're just friends dancing with each other." he whispered to her once again. His breath brushing her skin, making her shiver.

"Just making sure you knew." she whispered back and started moving her hips to the music on her own accord.


	8. Chapter 7 - Confessions

The alcohol pulsed through her veins as did the immense pleasure of their hips grinding against each other. Everything around her became unimportant and blurry, the only thing that mattered was his groin against her back moving to the beat of the music.

Beat after beat, movement after movement, their bodies seemed to melt into each other and move as one. Every little friction made her body shiver.

She turned around to face him and allow their bodies to move closer and create more friction as she pushed her hips forward with the rhythm that vibrated in the air around them.

His hands grabbed her ass closing the distance between them even further, while she held onto his shoulder with one hand for support while the other gently ran down his back and hooked onto the back pocket of his pants.

They were breathing heavily by then but didn't want to stop this movements of their bodies...

She new this was wrong, Pansy was her friend and obviously liked him for several years now. He wasn't hers to use for her pleasure. He wasn't hers to push her body against. He wasn't hers to feel his body against hers. He wasn't hers and he never could be hers...

And yet... it felt so good, so exciting, so right.

Her body against his. His body against her.

Electricity running through every cell in her body.

A moan escaped his lips when their hips brushed against each other again.

One of her hands changed position, now hooked through one of his loop holes, pulling his even closer.

She had to stop this. She knew, but her body didn't obey her. Only moved faster with the beat.

Again she felt his breath against her neck. She tensed.

Soft lips touched her neck. Her mind flew back to reality.

"NO!" she gasped and pushed that silver haired boy away from her. He looked at her confused, hurt, his eyes still the the haze of the heated dance they just shared.

She breathed heavily, her head in her hands. She glanced around, nobody was looking. She sighed. "I'm sorry," she muttered. He still looked at her with an hurt expression. "Sorry, but this... this can't... no!" she shook her head and turned away. Left him standing there confused, hurt and alone.

She went to the bar and searched for a bottle of water or anything non-alcoholic.

Someone stood next to her and gave her a bottle of water. Thankfully she took it and downed the contents. She looked up and saw Blaise looking down at her concerned.

"Are you alright?" She looked at him, but couldn't answer. Was she alright? Can she be alright? How could she let this happen? It was all her fault. All her's... she didn't deserve Blaise's kindness! It was all her fault. Allowing Draco to touch her, even though he was Pansy's. Allowing Patrick to touch her, hit her, use her. Allowing him to fall into the clutches of the Death Eaters. Allowing the Death Eaters to kill her father... her mother...

Suddenly she felt as if she were suffocating and started to hyperventilate. "Need... air!" she panted and started stumbling towards the dungeons exit. Quickly Blaise was by her side and helped her get out of the common room and out into the hallway.

As soon as the wall closed behind them again and she took a deep breath, her tense nerves started to calm down again. Without looking behind her she let herself fall against the wall and started crying.

Blaise looked at her shocked and sat down next to her, in order to pull her onto his lab. Soothingly he stroked her back as she grabbed onto his shirt and cried onto his shoulder.

"Shh, shh everything will be alright," he cooed in a soft voice and held her tightly. "shh, shh, let it all out. Don't worry I'm here."

In the middle of the corridor Blaise sat with the crying Ash on his lap, his one arm holding her tight while the other stroked her back and cooed small nothings into her ear to calm her down again.

After a few minutes it actually worked and the crying girl calmed down and relaxed into his arms.

Slowly he wiped away the last tears that spilled out of the girls green eyes and made her look him in the eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

She stared into his eyes and then looked at the ground ... Was she really ready to tell him? They had only met the day before but he was nice and she could see real concern in his eyes. She could see that he was hurting for her and genuinely wanted to help her. But would he still think of her the same after he heard? she was scared, but slowly she nodded her head.

Silence filled the corridor again as Blaise quietly waited for her to start.

Ash looked up into Blaise's face, sighed and took a deep breath...

"It all began at the beginning of the last school year..." she began, but stopped again. Was she really ready to tell Blaise her story? Would he understand? What would he think of her when she told him? Would he want to stop being her friend? Would he be disgusted by her? Push her away? Never hold her in his arms to comfort him again?

Uncertain, she tensed up a bit and looked up at him. '_This is crazy!_' she thought to herself. '_I've only known him for not even two days... and yet_,' she shuddered as she looked into his eyes. There was something about this boy that made her trust him. He wouldn't betray her and her trust. No, not him. The warmth and concern with which he looked at her told her so.

Again she looked down at the cold stone floor, closed her eyes and let her mind take her back to the memories she had tried to push away into the furthest corners of her mind...

_The first time I saw him, I thought I saw an angel. Tall, lean yet muscular, his straight black hair framing his perfect shaped face and his ocean blue eyes shinning with humour. When he had spoke and laughed - it had seemed to me that - the room filled with music. Whenever he looked at me I felt my heart and body melt. I was enchanted._

His name was Patrick and he was a new arrival from a wizarding school in America.

People had tried to warn me about him. He was up to no good. He was to perfect to be true. blahblahblah... I didn't listen, all I wanted was to have him.

You must think I'm crazy for feeling this way from the first time that I saw him. But I couldn't help myself. And then when he talked to me, looked at me... I fell head over heels. Every cell in my body belonged to him by the first time he said my name.

Patrick and I soon started dating. It swiped me of my feet that this gorgeous boy chose me, the loud, obnoxious troublemaker as _**his**__ girl..._

Blaise looked at the girl in his arms. Her eyes where closed, her features relaxed and a small smile played around her lips when she whispered his name, sighed at the memories of their first encounter.

Suddenly her features turned sober again, but she didn't open her eyes as she continued to speak.

_But then he changed. He was a jealous and self righteous bastard that tried separate me from my friends, my family, my everything. But I was so in love, I didn't want to believe it, even though I saw how the people I loved slowly seemed to float away from me._

That's when I saw his true colours. I tried to stop my friends from leaving me by spending more time with them - alone. And it seemed to work. My friends always greeted my with open arms, happy that I was back again.

You know how it is. How perfect a relationship seems, it always has its flaws and soon I really saw how much my relationship with Patrick separated me and my friends. Hence I took the only sensible cause of action. My friends had always been the most important aspect of my life for me. I broke up with the boy that I loved so dearly.

However it broke Patrick. In his mind he had declared me his property and when property is taken away, you fight till you have it back.

It became the pure horror. He stalked me, terrorized me... One time he caught me when I wasn't with my friends and... and...

Ash ripped her eyes open, a tear loosened from her eyes and slipped down her cheek. The boy holding her softly brushed it away. Everything was silent.

Slowly Ash closed her eyes again and softly whispered, _"He raped me..."_

Ash felt how the boy tensed up and for a moment she thought he would shove her of him and leave, but nothing like that happened. Gently he squeezed her for reassurance.

Swiftly Ash relaxed into his arms again and continued speaking.

_After the... rape... things seemed to get even worse. He started beating up the guys I talked to - even if it was just a simple hi between friends. He crept into my dorm room and stole some of my things. He became completely obsessed with me... I was scared. I really was._

And then the Easter holidays came. You can't believe how relieved I was to leave school and go home. To leave the horror of Patrick behind and become myself again. However, the peace of my home didn't last long.

I had heard the rumor's of ... Voldemort... coming back to life and that he was recruiting new people... but I didn't actually believe it until I saw the mark... _**his**__ mark on Patrick's arm._

He was standing in front of out house with three other cloaked wizards. It didn't take long and soon they forced themselves through your protecting barrier and into my home. My mom and dad told me to hide in the closet as the footsteps came nearer and nearer towards the room we were in.

Hiding, I saw how the Death Eaters broke down the door and pointed their wand at my father.

"What do you want?" he yelled with a shaking voice. I could hear the terror in his voice. Sweat was running down his face and has hand was shaking uncontrollably.

One of the cloaked men had chuckled at the sight and answered in an cold voice. "What I want? I want to invite you into joining our course."

"And become a Death Eater? Never!" my father spat out enraged, he even seemed to shake less.

"Then you leave me no choice," said the other voice and then hissed out "Avada Kedavra." The room was filled with a bright green light flash that blinded me.

When I could see again my dad was lying on the floor, motionless. My mother had run up to him and was crouching over him, crying. I couldn't take the sight any more. I had watched the whole scene from a small crack in the closet door. After I saw my father lying on the floor however I pulled away and clasped my hands over my mouth to keep me from screaming.

"What about you? Are you as stupid as him, or will you make the correct decision," I heard the emotionless voice asked my mother. I never heard her answer but when I saw another bright flash of green I knew my mother was gone...

"So,^ where's the girl, kid?" I heard another voice ask. But I kept myself from making any sound.

"She should be here... she has to be here!" a familiar sounding voice had said. I wrecked my head to figure out who it might have been and -stupidly- gasped when I identified it as Patrick's. The small gasp seemed to have been heard by one of them because soon I found myself forced out of the closet.

"Hello, beautiful," my ex-boyfriend chimed as he knelt down in front of me. I had glared at him, tried to kill him with my mind but he only chuckled and stroked my cheek. Tears were running freely and I was shaking all over as I looked around at the masked faces around me. All of a sudden the arms that had held me in place let go of me and Patrick hugged me tightly - I wanted to puke.

"There, there. Everything is going to be alright. I'm here for you." I hated every taunting word of his, but couldn't do anything.

"What did you do?" I had asked him choking on every word I said.

"I'm here to free you, my love." he said and smiled into my neck. I only sat there and glared. There were three other Death Eaters around us. I wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Free me?"

"Yes, these people where monsters. They took you away from me!" he answered. I wanted to yell at him, rip his eyes out. But I only sat there. Looking at the boy that I had loved not so long ago.

Swiftly he got to his feet and took a hold of my hand, pulling me up. He then snaked an arm around me and grinned when I didn't say anything. It was as if someone else was controlling me. I knew I should fight. I knew I should cry. I knew I should do so many things. But instead I just stood there. Despising myself and the people around me.

Quickly Patrick lead me down the corridor, and out of the house. The other Death Eaters following closely. Suddenly I glanced down Patrick's arm and pushed up the sleeve. Seeing the mark gleaming softly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Patrick asked me when he saw where I was looking. "You'll get one yourself quite soon, love."

At that moment I made my decision, everything happened quickly. Patrick and I were the first ones to leave the house. I quickly pulled out my wand and pointed it at Patricks neck, then apparated away.

I could feel the other Death Eaters following us. But I was always good at apparation. As soon as we hit the ground I went onto the next leap. In the middle of this apparation I let go of Patrick...

I have no idea what happens when you let go of someone in the middle of apparation. But I did...

After I let go of him I lost track of how many other times I apparated. But in the end I found myself in the middle of Munich - the capital of Baveria - and about half an hour away from my home. There I hid. I didn't use magic in three months, I didn't apparate nor did I get in contact with any of my family and friends.

I was scared that if I would, _**he**__ would find me._

At some point in time my aunt and uncle found me in the park and took me home with them. I have no idea how they were able to find me, but I'm glad they did. They brought me back to life, one could say...

Ash stopped talking and looked up at Blaise. "I'm also happy they found you," he whispered and hugged her tighter.

All of a sudden they heard a cough behind them. Shocked they jumped up from the floor and turned towards the noise...

It was Professor Snape. "I'm intrigued," he said in an humourless voice. "What, if I may ask, are you doing here at four o'clock in the morning?"

The two students looked at him in shock...

"We...we..." Ash stuttered.

"Well, I can listen to your excuses in detention for the next week. 9 o'clock my office," he snarled, "now of to bed, before I decide to make it two weeks."

Quickly the two students muttered the password to their common room and disappeared out of the Professors sight.

As soon as the wall closed behind them they started laughing and stumbled on into the now empty and trashed common room. A few house elves - who had started cleaning up the mess that was left behind - jumped in fright at the sound the two were making.

When they went into the room that separated into the boys and girls corridors they hugged each other. "Thank you for listening to me! You have me idea what it means to me to have a friend like you!" Ash smiled and added, "I guess I'll be seeing you at detention tomorrow." Ash chuckled as she opened the door to the girls rooms and slipped away to get some sleep.

Blaise stood in the middle room for another minute, staring at the door Ash just vanished through. "Friend, huh?" he sighed and went to grab some sleep before having to go to the detention tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 8 - The First Day of School

Eight o'clock in the morning was way to early to wake up, Ash decided when her alarm sounded and woke her up. All around her people groaned at the sound and cursed her for setting the clock.

"Sorry," she whispered as she turned off the annoying sound and get out of her soft... warm... blankets.

Swiftly she dug out her school uniform and went into the bathroom to freshen up and change.

As soon as she was presentable, she skipped out of the room and down the corridor to the common room where a not-so-happy-looking Blaise greeted her with a yawn.

"Morning," Ash chirped.

"Morning," Blaise groaned, "someone seems way to happy to this early in the morning. Especially when an detention is awaiting her in half an hour."

Ash pouted for a second and then smiled again. "Oh come on! Don't be such a Joy-Kill"

"Just stating that I never saw someone this happy at 8.30 in the morning. Especially after a party the night before, where she was hammered and having an detention ahead of her for staying up until four in the morning."

Ash stared at him again. "Joy-Kill," she smirked and turned away to go to the Great Hall.

Blaise followed silently. As they reached the Hall, the Slytherin table was still empty, while the other tables burned with life.

Quickly the two Slytherin's sat down opposite each other and dug into the food that appeared in front of them.

"So... What do you think he'll make us do?" Ash asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No idea... clean out the dungeons?"

"No! No cleaning please! I hate cleaning!" Ash cried.

"Well, then it should be the perfect punishment for you Miss. Weasley," Snape said from behind her. Ash turned to look at him. "If you don't want to come late for your detention you should follow me now," he added and off he went.

Quickly Blaise and Ash followed behind the teacher as he guided them towards the dungeons. When they reached his classroom he opened the doors and ushered the teenagers into it.

"Alright, as you see the room hasn't been dusted and cleaned since the end of the last school year. I expect it to shine when I come back," he said and turned to leave. "Oh and before I forget give me your wands. You will not be able to use magic throughout the duration of your detention."

Both students sighed when they watched their wands vanish into one of the cupboards and Snape lock the door.

Once he left the room, Ash and Blaise looked around the room. "Oh what fun."

"When do you think he'll be back?" Ash asked carefully.

"By the look of this room... I suspect in about five hours."

"Thank Merlin we ate something! Otherwise we'd be left without food until dinner!"

Blaise laughed. "Weirdo."

They cleaned for about an hour in silence. First wiping of the tables and chairs and then slowly moving on to the cupboards and shelves. The floor they had decided to leave for last.

After a while Ash turned to look at Blaise. "Thank you," she said.

Blaise looked up surprised, "For what?"

"For everything. For being my friend, for listening to me yesterday, for not rejecting me..."

Blaise looked at her confused, "why should I reject you?"

"Because..." she fell silent again.

"No, Ash. Don't do that to yourself. None of the things that happened are your fault. You can't control who you fall in love with and when you fell, its hard to not be a bit 'blind'. He was an ass and if he fell for Voldemort's luring, it his own fault."

"But, I let him kill my parents..."

"Your parents would not have wanted you to interfere. You would have just died along with them. They where adults. They knew the risks and I'm sure they'd be happy to know that you escaped Voldemort's clutches."

Ash looked at him surprised. "You said his name."

Blaise looked at her surprised. "Yeah so?"

"Oh, nothing. Not many people do that."

"You said it."

"Yeah but I've been hanging with Ron and his friends all summer."

Blaise just grunted and went back to work. Again silence fell between them.

Finally they finished cleaning the room, but Snape still didn't come. "Um... do you think he'll come soon?" Ash asked after they sat down on one of the tables and stared at the completed task.

"I guess so..."

Again silence.

This time it was Blaise who broke it. "Do you like Malfoy?"

Ash turned around startled. "W-what?"

"Do you like Malfoy?"

"No - no, I don't...at least I don't think so."

"I saw you guys dancing at the party. Seemed pretty heated to me."

"Oh... well, I don't know. He's an total ass, a hot ass I must admit... but still an ass. I've always heard bad things about him from my cousins and I'm sure they have a point, but from what I got to see from him until now, I don't really see him as the git they described to me. But that doesn't really matter now, does it?" Ash tried to explain.

"Why not?"

"He's Pansy's."

Trying to hold back laughter he asked, "who told you that?"

Confused Ash put her head to the side. "Well, Pansy was talking about getting him back and then she and Draco went into the dorm rooms together."

"Draco and Pansy go back a long time. But they won't ever come back 'together' as Pancy so nicely put it. They were in a relationship once and from what I know about Draco, he really doesn't want to be in one with her again. Although I must admit, he won't say no to an easy fuck."

Ash formed an 'O' with her mouth, then she nodded. "Yep, definitely an ass."

"Not necessarily. Just a guy," Blaise countered and laughed.

"So, you're like that as well, Mr. Zabini?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"A guy? Last time I checked I was."

"No, a womanizer."

Blaise smirked, "some have described me as such"

Ash laughed, "well I guess your good looks do have to count for something"

Blaise smirked, "of course they do!"

Both of them laughed and joked around even longer. "By the way, why did you ask me if I liked Draco?" Ash said again after a while.

"I just want you to be careful. Draco is an amazing friend to have, but he does have his down sides. One of them is that he thinks that he can get every girl he wants. I don't want you to get hurt by him."

Ash looked at Blaise and hugged him, "thanks your an amazing friend but don't worry I wont be one of Draco's conquests"

Blaise smiled at her warmly.

Finally they heard the door of the classroom open and they saw Snape walk into the room. Impressed he looked around and gave them back their wands. "We'll see each other after school tomorrow here again. Be on time."

Quickly the two friends slipped out off the classroom and ran down the hallway, stomachs growling.

When they entered they saw that the dinner was just about to be served. "That prick!" Ash fumed cheerfully, "He left us in that classroom for nearly 12 hours!"

Blaise just chuckled and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "You'll come to love him eventually"

"No, never! I refuse to even like that prick!" she answered grinning as they made their way over to their friends.

"The first day of school. The first day of doom more like," Tracy told Ash while they were on their way to the Great Hall to grab breakfast before the torture of classes sucked them dry of energy.

Ash snickered at her friends words. "I'm actually quite excited!" she chipped in, earning a freaked out look from the black haired girl next to her. "Well I'm going to get to know the new teachers and maybe I will meet some other people who will talk to me without a glare and -" Ash was broken of when she ran into someone.

She looked up to see Draco looking down at her... Did he remember what happened at the party? She wondered silently. She hadn't seen him at all since that fateful night. Did she want him to remember? Or rather not? She was unsure.

"Hey," she smiled up at him. If he did remember he didn't let it show.

"Hey," he smirked back. "Where are you heading?" he asked the girls.

"We're on the way to the Great Hall, grab something to eat and get our torture plans. What about you?" Tracy answered.

"I just sent a owl to my family. I was also on my way to the Great Hall."

"Nice! Then we can go together!" Ash grinned and interlinked arms with Tracy and Draco, dragging them along.

When they entered the Great Hall Ash looked up at the ceiling. "Ah! Such a nice sunny day!" she cheered seeing a cloudless sunny sky projected above her. She picked up the pace when she saw the wonderful food spread across the Slytherin table. "So yummy!"

"Ash!" Draco suddenly asked her as a horrific thought came to his mind. "Do you actually _like_ school?"

Ash looked at him surprised. "Well, I don't hate it," she answered.

"Weird, isn't she?" Tracy asked from beside her as Draco just stared at her wide eyed.

"Reminds me of Granger," he shuddered and shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, come on people! It's not that big of a deal to actually like learning new things."

Tracy and Draco looked at each other. "She doesn't know the teachers yet," they said in unison. All three of them laughed.

Slowly the rest of the Slytherin's joined their little group. Pansy sitting herself next to Draco and his goons flanking him, Blaise sitting down next to Ash while Daphne glared at Ash and sat on his other side.

Confused Ash looked at her, but didn't say anything. It could wait until later.

While silently eating her waffles, Ash saw how Professor Snape slowly walked down the table handing out pieces of paper.

"Timetables are being handed out," she stated and the heads around her turned and groaned when they saw that she was right.

Once Snape finally made it to their group he gave them all a paper and headed back towards the teachers tables.

"What do you have?" Blaise asked looking over her shoulder to see what was on her piece of paper. "What the hell? How many subjects do you have? Ghoul Studies - Is that even a class?"

Ash chuckled, "It's an extra-curricular class, such as Music and Muggle Music."

"Muggle Music? Why would you wanna do that in your free time?" Pansy asked disgusted.

"Muggle Music isn't all that bad. Also I want to become an singer. Hence I should know all about music there is to know!"

"You can sing?" Tracy asked, hoping to get away from the muggle subject.

"Yeah, it's one of my few passions," she smiled.

"You've gotta sing us something!" the others insisted.

"Later OK? When not so many people are here?" the others nodded.

"What else is there?" Blaise peeked over her shoulder again.

"Arithmancy, Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, Transfiguration - is there any subject you don't take?" he read aloud.

"Divination, Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes" Ash stated without a blink.

"Freak."

"Take that back!"

"Nope you are." Ash glared at Blaise and hit him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"Serves you well," Ash pouted and turned back to the others. "Do we have any classes together?" she asked the others. Quickly they compared their time tables.

She had:  
Potions with Draco and Blaise.  
Charms with Daphne and Tracy  
Herbology with Tracy  
History of Magic with all of them  
Transfiguration with Draco  
DADA with Draco, Blaise, Pansy and Daphne  
Astronomy with Tracy  
Arithmancy and Muggle Studies as well as her three Electives she had alone...

Ash's first class was Arithmancy. With a sigh she got of the bench. "Well I better get going. I think Hermione is also taking Arithmancy, maybe she can show me the way!" she said and smiled at the others that were still in the middle of their meals.

Quickly she looked around for Hermione. When she saw her, Ash quickly sped over.

"Hey guys!" Ash greeted her when she reached the Griffindor table where Hermione, Ron and Harry sat together.

All three looked up from their meals. "Hey," they said a bit awkwardly. Ash ignored the silence that started to spread around the table again as she sat down next to Hermione.

"So, I was wondering if I had any of my subjects with you guys!" she said and smiled at them, itching to look at the pieces of paper in front of them.

Hermione was the first to show her subject plan to her.

"...Hermione... how do you fit eating and sleeping into this plan?" Ash joked while handing her her own paper.

"Oh come on, don't you say tha- Ash... you even have more classes then I do."

"Not true, three of them are after school electives! Their only once a week!" Ash tried to defended herself. But when the two guys gawked at her she seemed to fail miserably.

"Well, but it seems as if we have nearly every class together, except for Herbology and Transfiguration," she stated and gave her back her planner. Ash grinned.

"What about you guys?"

Ron looked at her and smiled, "Your nuts. You know that?" Ash laughed and nodded wildly.

He shook his head in response. "Well, I've got Potions, DADA and Transfiguration with you."

"Same here, plus Astronomy," Harry answered as well.

"Score!" she yelled and started doing a weird happy dance while sitting on the bench.

The Golden Trio just shook her heads at her weird behaviour. Soon they finished their meal and Ash and Hermione were of to Arithmancy...

Arithmancy was a bore. Why had she taken it again? Oh yeah because Hermione had plastered her with stories of how wonderful it is, how much fun it was - Hermoine had lied.

First of all you were forced to climb seven staircases. and then walk another 10 miles to actually reach the classroom. Professor Vector was a bitch and loved giving them huge amounts of homework - on the first day!

Yet this class did have a few upsides as well. It was extremely easy, Ash was able to spend time with Hermione, without being in the "where should I sit conflict" - which she suspected she would have in most of the other subjects.

On the whole way up to the classroom Hermione and Ash had joked and talked together, without mentioning their houses. However, when they finally entered the classroom and sat down next to each other, Hermione asked, "how's Slytherin?"

"Huh?"

"How's Slytherin?" Hermione repeated and added, "I mean, do they take care of you?"

Ash smiled. "Slytherin is fun. The people are awesome to me."

"Who are you friends with?"

"Well you see me sitting with them everyday. From them, I'm closest to Blaise and Tracy. Those two are amazing, I tell you! We're always cracking jokes and explore the grounds together. On the first day, they showed me the castle and the classrooms and everything and you know me, I had one of my random action thoughts and pulled them to the lake and jumped in and they did as well... OK not 100% correct I jumped in and they looked at me as if I had three heads so I had to come out and shove them into the water. It was hilarious! But anyway, they really enjoyed my super cool idea and now whenever I have one of my whims again they just go along with it!"

"Good for you..." she said and fell silent. After a few minutes of silence - just listening to the teacher talk - she added, "Promise me to be careful Ash, OK?"

"Why do you guys always have to repeat that? I can look out for myself and know how to judge people! I'm not a first year any more!" Ash whispered back harshly and let out an frustrated sigh.

Hermione looked at her hurt. "Ash... We just want to make sure you are OK. We never had a good experience with the people from Slytherin and most of their families are Death Eaters. After what you experienced... We just don't want you to be hurt again."

Ash looked over at Hermione again. "I know, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have... Just trust me, alright?" Hermione looked at her with anxious eyes and then nodded. Smiling Ash turned around to the teacher again.

Ash's next class was Transfiguration. When she saw this on her timetable she had to gulp. Ron, Harry and Draco in the same classroom with each other and her right in the middle of the cross fire... No way could this turn out pleasant.

Briskly she descended from the 7th floor to the Transfigurations classroom, waving goodbye to Hermione. Five minutes late, she finally reached her destination and entered the classroom.

"I'm so sorry!" she said while running through the doors, but she didn't see the teacher anywhere in the classroom. Only a brown tabby cat that sat on top of the teachers desk. Looking at the tabby, Ash remembered Ron telling her about his first time coming into her classroom late and Professor McGonagall transforming from that shape.

Uncertain she went up to the tabby. "I'm sorry for being late, Professor. I got lost," she said to the cat, as she heard the class trying to hold back laughter.

"Well, I understand that adjusting to a new school can be harsh at time, Miss. Weasley. What I do not understand, however, is why you are apologising to a cat," a strict voice said behind her.

Embarrassed Ash turned around to look at the tall, rather severe-looking women with emerald green robes and a tight hair bun. Turning bright red Ash opened her mouth to speak, but swiftly closed it again as she saw a twinkle in the elderly woman's eyes.

"Now sit down, so we can continue with class," she ordered and sent Ash scrambling to find a seat. One fast glance told her that Draco had kept a seat for her next to him, as had Harry and Ron - in front of them next to Neville - they were waving at her to sit there.

Torn she looked from one seat to the other, but decided to sit next to Draco - giving Ron an apologetic look.

Draco smirked. "Wow, I actually believed you'd sit with the Gryffindors for a second there."

"If you want me, I can still change my seat," Ash countered.

"I didn't say that. Its just that you probably just ruined your relationship with them again," he said, looking back and seeing the death glare Ron sent into their direction.

"They have to finally understand that I'm a Slytherin and that my friends are Slytherins as well. I want to be friends with them, but I'm stuck with you guys for a year and I don't plan on being an social reject," Ash explained glancing over at Draco, who just nodded.

Silence fell over them as they listened to McGonagall explain what they would do this year.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" Draco asked whispering after a few minutes passed. Ash glanced at him and shook her head no. "It's the first weekend were we're able to go to Hogsmead. I was wondering, if you'd like to go there with me."

Ash's heart started to beat faster as she looked at Draco again. He hadn't turned to look at her, just kept on looking at the front of the classroom, pretending to listen to the Professor. Looking away her mouth tried up. "I-" she tried to answer - wanted to jump up ad down grinning yelling yes, but something held her back. "I-" she tried again, "I don't know, Draco. I- I don't think that would be the best move right now, especially with Pansy being my friend and you guys having this thing..." she muttered. "Also, I still have to figure you out..." she added so quietly that she wasn't sure if Draco heard her or not.

Draco tensed at her words and didn't say anything to her for the rest of the class. Ash mentally sapped herself, fearing that he would hate her now that she turned him down.

But right before class ended he looked at her, "Tell me if you change your mind, you're missing out on something." He smirked at her again and turned to pack his things together. Before Ash had time to finish packing up Ron hovered over her.

"We had saved a seat for you," he hissed.

"I saw."

"Then why didn't you sit with us?"

"Draco had saved me a seat as well, sitting next to a friend seemed more pleasant when sitting next to a friends friends," she answered truthfully looking behind Ron she added, "Sorry Neville."

"No problem," he muttered.

Ron still glared at her. "Now listen-" he started but Ash interrupted him and told him the same thing she had told Draco before, then stood up and left the room. There Draco stood waiting for her at the door.

"I have DADA now, I figured you'd have the same and that you probably wouldn't walk with Redhead and Scarface."

Ash let out a short laugh and smiled at Draco. "Thank you."

Defence Against the Dark Arts proved to be an amazing subject, this year taught by an eccentric elderly women, Professor Humbug. She thought that practical work would be the easiest way to learn to defend oneself, hence they started right the moment they entered the room and she started throwing spells at them, against whom they had to defend themselves against.

After this the day seemed to pass uneventful for Ash, until they retired back to their rooms and Daphne confronted her.

"Stay away from him," she shot at her.

"Huh?"

"You've heard me!"

"I don't know what you mean."

"There's something going on between you and Blaise. But I already told you. He's my mark. Stay away from him!"

"Believe me, we're just good friends. There's nothing going on between us!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are you always together and why does he seem so protective over you?"

"I don't know. But there's nothing between us, trust me."

Daphne glared at her. "Just stay away from him," she hissed and started walking into the bathroom.

"No I wont. You can't tell me with whom I can hang and not. Blaise and I are friends. You wont be able to do anything against that."

Daphne glared at her again. "Watch your back," she retorted and turned away, leaving Ash standing dumbfounded.


	10. Chapter 9 - Intermission

Ash was miserable. What did she do to deserve this? She had just come here and already she upset Ron enough that he and his friends didn't want to talk with her any more. A friend she just made, Daphne, hated her guts because she thought she had something with Blaise. Pansy was also starting to avoid her, siding with Daphne.

Was Blaise really behaving different towards her than others? Is he actually not the nice and funny person who sticks up for his friends, like she got to know him? AHHHH! This was all too confusing.

After what Daphne had said to her last evening, Ash had laid in bed and had thought over everything that happened in the last couple of days.

How is it even possible to make an enemy in only such a short time. Was it even possible? She guessed it was. _Its even possible to make your cousin/best friend into enemies in only that time,_ she silently thought to herself and felt a tear slip out of her eyes and run over her cheek.

Blaise was one of the most important people in her life right now. Next to her family, he was the only one that knows about her past. She could never stay away from him. But then she would loose Daphne and probably Pansy as friends.

She was turning in circles. She needed someone to talk and bitch around with... "Tracy!"

Hastily Ash jumped out of her bed on with she had been laying and ran over to Tracy's bed. Pulling a bit of the curtains Ash saw that she was sleeping. "Tracy," she whispered quietly, in order to not wake the other girls. "Tracy," she whispered again and shook the resting girl. "Tracy," she said again, this time a bit louder and with more force. The girl in front of her contracted and then moved her head to look at Ash.

"What?"

"Tracy, I'm sorry that I'm waking you but... I need to talk."

It took a while until Tracy had registered the words. With a yawn, Tracy sat up. "What time is it?" she asked sleepy and looked at Ash with half closed eyes.

"It's 03.50."

Tracy stared at her emotionless, then turned around and put her head back on the pillow, pulling her blankets up to her shoulders in the same movement.

Ash looked at her hurt, "please Tracy!"

"Does it have to be now? Or can it wait until a reasonable time in the morning. Maybe at 7, during breakfast?"

"No I need to talk now. I'm sorry, I know it's not the best time. But... Please"

Tracy glared over her blanket at Ash, but sat up and hugged her blanket close to her body. "Alright. But lets go to the common room so we don't wake the others."

Ash's face lit up and immediately the girl stood up from her friends bed and went over to her own to grab her blanket.

Silently the girls went through their room and down the corridor, hoping to not wake anybody - person nor painting.

As they successfully made it into the common room they sat down on the couches in front of lake window - and furthest away from Salazar Slytherins portrait - tightening their blankets around their shoulders.

After a few minutes of just watching the seaweed sway from one side to the other, Tracy broke the silence, "so what did you want to talk about?"

Ash looked at the seaweed for few moments longer then sighed "... everything"

"Maybe you should have woken me earlier. Everything will take quite a bit of time."

"You know what I mean. I... Since I came here, so much happened I don't know what to do any more. And your the only person I can think of that I can talk to about _everything_..."

Tracy's face was lit in a fade green light from the window as Ash looked at her and saw her smile a little. "Alright, shoot" she urged happily.

Ash told her everything. The problems she had with Ron and his buddies since she was sorted into Slytherin. About Daphne and what she said about Blaise and her. As well as about Draco... his advances towards her and the butterflies she got when she saw him. The only thing she left out was her past.

Tracy didn't say one word throughout the whole time Ash talked, just nodded every now and then to show Ash that she was still awake and listening.

Once Ash finished silence fell over then again. Anxiously Ash glanced over at Tracy. Just talking about it and getting it out of her mind and into the air had already lifted some the burden on her shoulders, but Tracy's silence made her a bit uncomfortable.

All of a sudden Tracy took a deep breath, "Wow... if you consider that it's only been four days since the Hogwarts Express left London, its quite some 'adventure' you've already had here."

"Yeah, isn't it?"

"I don't know what I can say about the Griffindor part of the story, but I think you should listen to your Aunt. Just lead a normal life, at one point Weasley and the others will get used to you being an Slytherin. They just need a bit of time, I guess."

"I guess so. It still hurts."

"I know. But Weasley should know how you really are. If he really believes that only because your in Slytherin, you've got to be bad and a Death Eater its his own stupidity to blame," Ash smiled at Tracy gratefully. "Now with the other problems, I believe I can help you more."

"You shouldn't take Daphne to seriously. She has a new "mark" every two weeks. Hence, her Blaise obsession probably wont go very long. But still be careful. She isn't the smartest egg out of the box, but she has most of the Slytherin boys falling for her and _they_ could cause you trouble.

"If you stick with me, I'll make sure you wont be hurt though.

"About Blaise. I don't think you'll have to worry about him making a move on you. I don't know why, but somehow you made him respect you. Since now his only real friends where Draco and I. But he never really respected us. He's normally an extremely arrogant person, who looks down at anyone and everything - although he doesn't say so.

"Normally he just disregards people when he doesn't have the same opinion on some topic. But with you, I'm unsure. Although he has many different opinions to you - for example on the muggle topic - he seems to really enjoy his time around you and not disregard you for you different opinions.

"When you just entered school and he saw you, he believed that you'd be an easy catch. Good looking and stupid, like all the other girls around him. Maybe it was that time when he talked to you outside the common room, during the party. I don't know what you told him, but I think that whatever it was, it surprised him and he started respecting you. I actually believe that you are the closest everyone ever was in becoming his friend - a true and real friend.

"He would never try anything on you. He doesn't believe in the concept of love or relationships - thanks to his wonderful mother. I believe being a good friend for you is the highest objective he has right now." Tracy smiled at Ash and Ash smiled back gratefully, hoping she was right.

"Now as for the Draco part. I'm unsure what to say. What Blaise said was correct. Draco's a womanizer. He views most women as targets and once he has them, they start to bore him. Pansy is the only one so far that caught his interest for longer then a fuck. But that's probably because she was already all over him before he really saw women as fish to be caught.

"But still something in the way Draco acts around you is a bit strange. Saving you a seat, asking you on a date. It could be a new trick to get to girls, or he really does see something in you. I have no idea. But if you like him... why not try it out?"

Ash looked at Tracy unsure. "I don't know. What about Pansy? Wouldn't she hate me if I went on a date with him?"

"Who cares? Pansy hates everyone at one point of time. Most likely she doesn't like you already because of Daphne. So it doesn't really matter. Moreover, you've already got Blaise and me, who will stick up to you, no matter what. And I think Theodore also likes you more then those two skanks."

"But... But..."

"Alright. Let me say it like that. Get to know Draco a bit better, see what his intentions are and what he actually wants from you. You don't have to go on a date with him right away, keep him on the loose end. See if his interest stops or not after some time. And look what you believe you feel after a month or two. If you still feel the need to get closer to him, ignore Pansy and the others and just do it."

Ash stood up and went over to Tracy to hug her and thank her for the help. After this little talk Ash already felt way better and fully at ease for the first time she came to Hogwarts.


	11. Chapter 10 - Owls

It's been two weeks since Ash had talked to Tracy and nothing had changed.

Daphne was still angry at Ash and glared at her every given second - it surprised Ash for a second, but even while Daphne was asleep she seemed to be glaring at her. Yet she didn't actually do anything, Ash guessed her glaring was the most ingenious thing Daphne could think of.

But she still needed to be careful. Twice already, some guys had come up to her, trying to scare her off but Tracy of Blaise were always there to stop them.

Her relationship with Blaise also strengthened. He really was an awesome guy. She loved talking to him. She could tell him everything and nothing at all, they were always cracking jokes and slowly became inseparable. Blaise was starting to become her best friend - together with Tracy.

Tracy was an Angel. Always being there for her when anything seemed to be happening, always being there for her to talk to and always having a good advise on her lips. But slowly Ash could see why she is a Slytherin.

Tracy would do anything to fulfil her goals. Her major goal in life was to become a star reporter like Rita Skeeter. Her ruthless researching skills were top notch already. This girl knew everything there is to know about this school. Name it, she knew it. It was as if she had bugged the whole school.

Her minor goals, such as an **A** in her next homework assignment, she pursued by... similar means. Using the information she had to pressure another student into doing their best work of all times for her, or 'convincing' her teacher that she deserved a better grade...

Ash was happy/thankful that Tracy decided that she could be useful in future and therefore became friends with her.

Ron and Harry still didn't want to talk to her after she ditched them in Transformations. But Hermione started to understand that Ash was a Slytherin and just shrugged it off. They wouldn't become best friends or anything similar, but they talked. It was a start.

Ginny acted the most normal around her. She didn't have as bad Slytherin experiences and therefore found her brothers behaviour quite idiotic. Ash was thankful. They were family and it hurt her that part of her family didn't accept her any more.

As for the little confusion with Draco... that turned into big confusion. There was something about him that pulled her towards him. The way he spoke, the way he looked at her, his smirk - it all seemed to have an flavour to it that she just couldn't resist.

And yet something stopped her from giving in to it. She knew exactly what it was, but didn't want to admit it. She stuck to her story that it wouldn't work because Pansy was her friend, it would shatter the small rest-bond she still shared with Ron or it that it was probably just a game for Draco anyway and that she wouldn't be one of his conquers.

But in reality she knew that she didn't really mind that. Who cares what Pansy thinks of her? She wasn't her friend. There was no real bond between her and Ron any more. He hadn't even acknowledged her existence in the last two weeks. And if it where just a game for Draco... well, all right she would have to admit that that would actually hurt her, but at least the confusion would be over. Ash hated being confused.

The real reason why she wouldn't let herself give into the feeling or even go on a date with Draco was because she was scared shitless. Not of losing a friend, not of breaking ties, not of being used... but losing herself again. Her past had taught her that her feelings are traitors and the whole situation reminded her too much of the past, too much of Patrick... she wasn't ready to let herself go like that again...

"Her glare is slowly starting to annoy me," Ash huffed sitting next to Blaise, pouting.

"Just ignore her, she's nothing to bother about."

"Oh, but you don't have to be on the same room as her at night! You don't see that she actually continues glaring while she's sound asleep." Ash looked at him with a crazed expression which made Blaise laugh.

"Sure she does."

"You don't believe me! Ask Tracy, she'll tell you its true!"

Blaise glanced over at Tracy, whom just nodded her head. "Alright, alright. I believe you. What do you plan to do about it?"

Ash opened her mouth to speak but shut it again looking away. All of a sudden her head snapped up again. "How about you go on a date with her. Then she knows that we're not dating and she won't have a reason to glare at me any more!" Ash beamed.

"No."

"Why not?!" despair in her voice.

"You're not really asking that, are you?"

Ash pouted again. "No," she slurred unconvincing.

"Ash."

"No, I'm not serious. I just meant that it wouldn't be that much of an horror. Just go on a date and then dump her. What's the biggy?" she rambled.

"Ash!" Blaise's tone becoming more warning.

Ash gave an frustrated sigh. "It's just the glare... it's slowly driving me insane!"

"It's alright, I understand," Blaise said and added, "but I will not even think about going on a date with her," when he saw Ash's eyes light up in hope.

"How about I blackmail her for you?" Tracy asked, "I know a lot of stuff about her that I'm sure would make her stop glaring at you."

"No, I already told you I wouldn't do that. It's immoral."

"But trying to make your best friend date her just to make her stop glaring at you isn't?"

"Um... No?"

"Hypocrite."

"Douche."

"What the -?"

"Your a douche because you wont do it."

"Would you do it?"

"Sure I would."

"OK, Draco's been mean to me for a while now. Go date him"

"That's not the same! and Lair! He hasn't been mean to you in any way."

"How would you know?"

"Because you would have told me sooner. As would have Tracy."

"OK, true... but if Draco would be mean to me and you supposedly help by going on a date with him, would you?"

"Um... probably." Ash said unsure.

"Alright. Go on a date with Draco and I will go on a date with Daphne."

"You are so _not_ my friend," Ash glared and Blaise just smirked. "Alright. No dating. I have to think of something else."

While Blaise and Tracy just continued talking, silence surrounded Ash while she tried to think of a way to make Daphne stop with that annoying glare. Suddenly her head snapped up again. "Guy's I'll see you later, I have to go any write a letter." Ash told the others absent-mindedly while she ran into her room and started writing a small letter and a long list of requests to her cousins Fred and George...

Once she sent of the letter, she knew that it wouldn't take long before she got her cousins reply. She didn't know how they felt about her being in Slytherin, but they could never say no to her when one of her request letters flew into their shop - they love pranks too much.

She could never say that she was as good as those two pranksters, but she wasn't all to bad either.

Giddily she went back to the Slytherin common room, excited about tomorrows delivery.

When morning finally came, Ash couldn't help but stare up at the ceiling of the Great Hall. She didn't want to wait a minute longer for the items she requested to come. She had been so excited that she hardly caught any sleep and had been wide awake at 5.30 in the morning. Much to the displeasure of Tracy, whom Ash had woken right away. Quietly the two of them had gotten ready for school and then sneaked out of their dorm room. Their next stop had been Blaise's room, which gave them more trouble then anticipated because they first had to get the pictures to shut up, then sneak into his room and figure out which of the sleeping bodies on the beds belonged to him.

When they finally found him they had to wake him up quietly, in order to not wake anyone else in the room. At first Blaise was startled seeing the two girls leaning over him, but swiftly took in the scene and groaned, knowing what he had to do next. Annoyed he had gotten out of his bed and gotten his clothes while the two girls lay back down on his bed, cuddling into the blankets.

Once he had been ready to go the he and the girls sneaked out of the room and laughed, seeing the mute pictures cursing at them. Briskly they had left the boys corridor and went out to the common room.

Since then they had wandered the halls and now they where sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, eating their early breakfast.

Aggravatingly slowly the Hogwarts Students filled into the Hall.

"Where are the owls?" Ash asked annoyed.

"They'll come, don't worry." Tracy told her _again_.

"But its taking them so long."

"Well, it wouldn't seem so long, if you'd have slept." Blaise told her grudgingly, he still wasn't very happy about being woken at 6 in the morning.

"What time do they usually come?"

"Well, seeing as it is _Saturday_, the day where we can usually sleep _longer_. The owls normally come at 9.30 o'clock," Blaise spat.

"And what time is it now?"

"30 minutes since you asked the last time: 7.30." Tracy stated.

"OK," Ash said.

"You know, today is an Hogsmead day, you could have just bought it at Zonko's."

"Nope, he doesn't have all the things I need and also, I'm in hope of getting it for free." Her friends eyes her sceptical but let it slip.

Two hours later the Great Hall was buzzing with life and the owls screeched as they made their way through the ceiling windows and down to the waiting students. Ash was shivering with excitement as she watched one owl after the other fly into the Hall. But she couldn't see Snowball anywhere. Errol swooped down and brought her an letter from Molly, the owls from the Daily Prophet and the Deutsche Flügel came and delivered their packages. But Schneeball, nor the twins owls were in sight when all the other owls finished their job and had already left the Hall.

Disappointed the strawberry blond haired girl hung her head, while she felt Blaise and Tracy exchange a knowing look and Blaise's hand started stroking her back.

Did the twins hate her like Ron did? Just because she was a Slytherin? It wasn't fair. What did she ever do to them to deserve this? Nothing. Nothing at all. All she did was being sorted into an different house than them, where her cousins really that stupid? Did they really believe that a house could change a person so much? Those little-

While Ash fell into a silence that varied from disappointment to frustration and anger, a small owl screech could be heard in the distance.

Gently Blaise shook Ash's shoulder making her look up. Then he pointed towards the ceiling where five fully packed owls raced into the Hall. One of them being Schneeball.

Then all five of those owls landed in front of Ash, even she was surprised. "Alright... I know that I did not order that much..." she said quietly, while taking a letter from Snowballs beak addressed to her. Slowly she opened it and read:

**Dear cute little cousin of ours,**

We heard about Ron from Ginny. We always knew he was an stupid git, although we hoped he'd improve when he gets older... Our hopes have died now.

Anyway, we are in hope that he is the one who engaged your wrath and therefore happily present you with our newest products and everything else that you had on your little list of requests. Although we still don't quite get your little obsession with some of these items...  
And for the case it isn't him that will have to face your wrath, we included a bit more, begging of you that you wont let him get away with his shit.

Love you to bits,  
your favourite cousins,  
George and Fred

Ash was near to tears when she read the letter, her smile tearing he face in two.

She was forced out of her bliss when one of the owls hooted in annoyance and Ash looked up to notice that she still hadn't rid them of their burdens. Swiftly she untied the packages from their legs.

"Ash, is it your birthday or something?" she heard a voice ask from next to her, while she beamed at the boxes in front of her. Surprised she turned to see Draco leaning against the table, watching her.

She smiled at him, "No, its just a little delayed congratulations-on-making-Slytherin-gift from my cousins," she laughed.

"Ah alright," Draco started then 'cassually" tried to change the topic. "So are you going to Hogsmead today?"

"Well, I think we were planning on it," she turned to look at Tracy and Blaise in reassurance, they nodded.

"Ah, I see. Mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all." Ash smiled at him, too happy to let any doubts cross her mind. "How about you meet us at in the common room at 12?"

"Sure can do," he smiled at her, as Ash and the other two scooped up the packages and letters and started hurrying towards the girl's room, hoping they'd find it empty, so they could look at what her cousins sent her.

"They send me everything they have in their shop, right?" Ash gasped as the three of them were sitting in the bathroom staring at the prank products in front of them.

There were:

* 2x Anti Gravity Hats  
* 30x Belch Powder  
* 2x Bombtastic Bomb  
* 20x Bulbadox powder - was on her list  
* 30x Canary Cream  
* A set of Creepy Crawlies  
* 10x Decoy Detonators - 1 was on her list  
* 20x Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks  
* 30x Dungbomb  
* 1x Electric Shock Shake  
* 5x Ever-Bashing Boomerang -was on her list  
* 2x Fanged Flyer  
* 4x Frog Spawn Soap  
* 6x Headless Hats  
* 1x Jack-in-the-box  
* 6x Nose-Biting Teacup  
* 15x Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder - was on her list although only 2x  
* 3x Portable Swamp -was on her ist  
* 5x Punching telescope  
* 1x Screaming Yo-yo  
* 2x Self-Propelling Custard Pie -was on her list  
* 3x Shield Hat, Gloves and Cloaks (with a little note saying "Be safe")  
* 20 sets of Skiving Snackbox - 2 were on her list  
each including * 50x Fainting Fancies  
* 50x Fever Fudge  
* 50x Nosebleed Nougat  
* 50x Puking Pastilles  
Added was also a little note saying "They sell well"  
* 20x Stink Pellets  
* 10x Trick wand - was on her list  
* 1x U-No-Poo

Next to that where the items that even Fred and George didn't always understand the genius off - Muggle Prank Items.

They included:  
* 10x Itch Powder  
* 5x Bald Head Wigs  
* 10x Chinese Finger traps  
* 20x Fake pimples and Warts  
* 5x Woopsie Coushins  
* 1x Funny Talking Weighing Scale  
* 25x Blacksoap  
* 1x two headed quarter  
* 3x Mystic Smoke tubes  
* 100x Spider creamer  
* 50x Blood Capsules  
* 2x Shock Gum  
* 15x Stinky Sweat Spray  
* 10x Barf Spray  
* 50x Garlic Candy  
* 10x Jumping Candy  
* 50x Hot Candy  
* 50x Fart Candy  
* 50x Black Mouth Candy

"What do you plan on doing with all of this?" Tracy asked stunned.

"We're gonna play a few pranks on Daphne and Ronnywonny."

"Ronnywonny?" Blaise snickered. "Sounds fun, but what do you need the Muggle stuff for?"

"Don't tell me you don't see the genius in those either?" Ash cried. "Well, OK not even George and Fred always see it." Ash shook her disappointed in them all. "Sure, without magic their a bit sad, but if you even add just a dust of magic..." Ash grinned wickedly. "But don't worry my loves, you will see the genius in just a few days. Monday night Operation 'Give them something to glare about' starts... But before that, Draco is waiting for us in the common room, lets get going!" Ash grinned and jumped up from her former sitting position on the floor. Quickly she scooped up the Prank Items on the floor and ran to her trunk to store them away safely.


	12. Chapter 11 - Hogsmeade

"Operation 'Give them something to Glare about'?" Tracy asked as they went down the corridor towards the common room. "Sorry, but that's a stupid name."

Ash frowned at her. "Really?" she asked turning to Blaise who nodded and shrugged.

"How about Operation Glare to make it short?"

"Better," they all agreed as they stepped into the common room.

Smiling they walked up to the already waiting Draco and together they made their way to the carriages that would bring them to Hogsmeade.

Ash had never seem such a nice town before. It looked just like the pictures that you normally find on Christmas cards; little thatched cottages and shops all covered in a layer of crisp gleaming white snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. In the background a picture book landscape of snowy Mountains completed the picture.

"Why is there snow here? It hasn't even snowed yet." Ash looked at Draco confused. It was her first time visiting the village.

"To be honest, I'm not too sure myself. I'm thinking that the people in this town just really like how it looks in winter so they made a spell that will always make it winter." Draco shrugged.

"But don't they get sick of the snow at some point?"

"Don't think so."

Ash shrugged as the four of them entered the small Christmas village. "So where do you want to go? Or the better question probably is, what is there to see?"

"How about we go to the Three Brooms first and get something to drink and maybe a bit of food?" Tracy suggested and they agreed.

The Three Broomsticks was nice little pub in the middle of Hogsmeade. It was very warm and cosy and surprisingly clean, considering it was a pub, although maybe a bit smoky.

"What can I bring you dears?" a good looking lady with blond looks asked as the sat down on an empty table.

"I'd like a mead please."

"How old are you, dear?"

"16, why?" Ash asked confused.

"Mead is only allowed 17 up."

"Oh, OK. Then I'll take a Butterbeer?" Ash asked, unsure if that was allowed for under age wizards. "Warm please."

The lady smiled and nodded, the others also ordered a Butterbeer.

"Why did you think they'd give you mead?" Tracy asked once the Bartender-Lady was gone.

"Well, I Germany the drinking laws seem to be different then here. Mead, Wine and such are legal from 16 onwards. After the party I thought that was here as well..." Ash shrugged. "Anyway, what is there to do in this little town?"

"Depends on what your looking for. There Hunnydukes, Zonko's Joke Shop, Dervish & Banges and Gladrags Wizardwear and a Quill shop if you need new Quills." Tracy started.

"Good places to sit and drink are the Three Brooms and Hogs Head." Blaise continued.

"Also there is Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. But people only go there on dates which I don't understand because that place is simply awful," Draco finished.

"Draco's already staring to get nightmares from that place," Blaise snickered joined by the other two. Draco growled.

"Its not that bad," Tracy insisted. "The cakes are pretty good."

They stopped talking for a bit when Madam Rosmerta came back with their beverages and asked them if they wanted anything else. They each ordered a dish and continued their conversation once Madam Rosmerta was gone.

"Oh and before we forget, we'll have to show you the Shrieking Shack - it's the most haunted house in the whole of Britain."

"Ron told me about it! Although its not very scary if you know the story behind the Shack."

"The story?"

"Yeah, don't you know?" The three long time Slytherin's shook their head. Ash quickly glanced left and right of her and leaned in to the others, who followed her example. "It's not haunted," she whispered.

"Of course it is. When I was there with Crabbe and Goyle in my third year, I was attacked by the ghost that lives there!" Draco insisted.

Ash tried to hold back her laughter. "It seemed fond of Ron and Hermione, right? Not attacking them, only you and the goons."

"How'd you know?"

"What do I get for telling you?"

"How about a kiss," he whispered into her ear making her giggle.

"Intriguing, but not nearly good enough" she whispered back.

"And I'll pay your food," he sighed. Ash grinned over her whole face and then tapped her cheek. Rolling his eyes, Draco leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You do know that that can't really be counted as a kiss, right?" Draco said, but Ash just smiled.

"Alright, well that ghost of yours was Harry. He was under his invisibility cloak and saw you terrorizing his friends, hence he thought he'd give you a little scare."

Draco's eyes scrunched up as he looked at her. "Another reason to not like Potter."

"OK, I understand Draco being tricked, but its common knowledge that the Shack is haunted! How can you say its not?" Tracy asked quietly.

"Well that story goes back a bit further. Do you guys remember Remus Lupin, I think he was the DADA professor in your 3rd year," the others nodded. "Well, as you probably already know, he's a werewolf. He was one, before he even came to Hogwarts. So in order to keep him away from his fellow peers on full moon nights Dumbledore had the Shack built in 1971. The yells and shouts that the villagers always heard was Lupin when he attacked himself, due to lack of victims."

Draco and the others started at her. "How'd you know?"

"Ron told me."

"And what makes you think that he would know?"

"Well, first of he's friends with Harry, who's father was best friends with Lupin, also I know Lupin personally and he assured me that it was true."

Her friends looked at her in awe. "Your right, if you know the story the shack really isn't that scary any more," Blaise stated after a minute of silence when Madam Rosmerta brought the food.

"Sorry for taking the haunted fun out of the Shack."

"Nah, its alright the fun was starting to extinguish anyway. Still wanna see it though?"

"Of course!" Swiftly they finished up their food and paid - with Malfoy paying her part of the bill as well.

"You know what, guys? I still have to go and send of this letter, how about you guys look at the shack and in the mean time I'll go to the post office?" Tracy suggested.

"I'll come with you," Blaise stated.

"I guess that leave us two, huh?" Ash asked Draco who nodded. "Alright, see you guys later at Hundydukes?" Ash asked and her friends nodded excitedly. Ash turned around once more after they split up to see Tracy and Blaise looking after them and winking at her.

Briskly she turned back around and turned red when Draco offered her his arm, which she accepted gratefully.

Once they reached the 'haunted' Shack they stood quietly next to each other and looked at it.

"Well," Ash said after a while. "I understand why people believed its haunted. It looks really creepy." Draco nodded.

"You are sure that it isn't, right?" It was Ash's time to nod.

Suddenly a cold wind brushed past her left ear, making her shiver.

"You cold?" Draco asked concerned when he noticed her shivering.

"No, its -" she started but then another blow brushed her ear, this time it was the other one making her jump. Hurriedly she turned around and glared.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked.

"Someone's here," she said and started searching the floor for footsteps appearing out of no where. She didn't find any though, the snow was already to hard. Suddenly Draco was pushed into the snow. "Are you alright?" she asked, crouching down next to Draco to help him up.

"Yeah... its Potter again, isn't it?"

"I think so," Ash answered when an snowball hit the back of Draco's head. Brushing the snow out of his hair Ash held onto Draco and glared around. "Stop it!" she yelled.

"What are you doing here with him?" Ash heard a familiar voice appear somewhere on her left, but it wasn't Harry's. Ash's eyes grew wide and her hands started shaking slightly.

"I was looking at the Shack with him. Is that illegal?" She didn't get an answer only saw another snowball fly at them. Ducking out of the way she and Draco stood back up and looked around. "This isn't Harry, Draco." Draco looked at her concerned then turned back around to keep an better look at their surroundings.

"What are you doing here?" Ash yelled, hoping it would distract their attacker long enough for them to figure out where he is. "How did you find out where I am?"

"It wasn't very hard to do, Ash. I just had to follow the bread crumbs," the voice snickered. "First I went to Kat, she wasn't very willing to talk I must admit..."

"What did you do to her?" Ash gasped.

"Oh, I just asked her if she could tell me where to find you. But she couldn't even answer such an easy question, stupid girl. Even after a few days of torture, she just wasn't intelligent enough to spit it out. So very unlike Jeremy though. He just saw me and got weak knees. Blurted out everything I needed to know." Ash could hear the smile creeping into the invisible man's face.

"Are they alright?" Ash asked quietly her voice shaking.

"Of course they are, its not like I could hurt your oh-so-precious little friends. You would never forgive me. But I do suggest you don't eat those cookies Kat sent you. I got the feeling she blamed you for all the pain she went through. Poor, poor Kat. She lost her mind..."

By now she was frantically searching for the source of the voice, subconsciously clinging onto Draco's robes.

"Keep him talking," Draco whispered to her, his eyes scanning the landscape.

"Wh-Wha- What do you want?" Ash sobbed, tears starting to pour out of her eyes.

"What I want? You know what I want, its the only thing I ever wanted - you." the voice chimed. "You belong to me, Ash. You know we are meant to be."

"She doesn't want anything to do with you, you freak!" Draco yelled.

"Quiet!" the voice yelled and sent an spell flying towards Draco that made his fly backwards and hit a tree at the far end of the clearing.

"No!" Ash cried as she struggled to get to Draco. "Please stop it!" she called looking around. "Don't hurt him!"

"You want me to stop hurting him? But I haven't done anything yet. He tried to steal you away from me. I can't let that slip so easily."

Another spell was fired and struck Draco's chest. Draco yelled out in pain as the spell clung to his chest sending waves of pain through his body. He was jerking uncontrollably, lashing out and hitting Ash every now and again because she was cowering over him trying to hold him down. Slowly he was loosing his conciousness.

"Stop it!" she cried. "Stop it! I'll do anything, just stop torturing him, please!" The screaming subdued. Ash was hovering over Draco, hugging him to her chest, slowly Draco regained his conciousness. "Thank you... Thank you..."

"Ash, my love, you know I can't just believe that you'd do anything. You already tricked me once." Ash looked up, trying to see the person behind the voice. "But I believe I can cure you of your delusions. A short time under the Cruciatus Curse and you will belong to me again."

Ash's eyes widened as the red beam hit her and an unbearable pain cursed trough her body. Every cell in her body wanted to tare away from her, every muscle was ripping, every nerve was on fire and every vain broke apart. Screaming her lungs out she willed herself to stay awake, to not give into the pain and lose her conscious.

From the corner of her eyes she saw Draco standing up and flinging himself towards thin air, only that he actually hit something.

The pain broke away. The sudden lack of pain nearly made her loose her consciousness again. Aggravatingly slow Ash managed to get up from the snow and stumbled towards the 'hovering' Draco who was punching the invisible body under him over and over again.

Gently Ash placed an hand on his shoulder blade to get him to stop. He gave to air one more punch and then rolled off of the body, taking the invisibility cloak with him and revealing what she had guessed to be Patrick.

But what Ash saw wasn't Patrick like she used to know him. What she was nearly made her sick. His once angelic face was twisted into an everlasting mask of pain and horror. His once perfect body was disproportional and he was missing several fingers and an ear. Only the mark of You-Know-Who was still as untainted as the first time she had seen it.

Quietly Ash cast an stunning spell and turned away from the disfigured body.

Tenderly Draco went over to her and took her into his arms as the tears flowed out of her eyes freely.

They just stood there, not moving, not saying a word until a couple of people came running up from the village and found the scene.


	13. Chapter 12 - Infirmary

Everything around them was unimportant. They heard the calls, they heard the concerned and angry voices. They saw the people who rushed up to them, they saw the people who took away the stunned body of the disfigured Death Eater. They felt the people trying to shake them out of their frozen state, they felt them tear them apart and take them to the infirmary in Hogwarts.

All that time they didn't utter a word. Two empty shells that didn't seem to have any emotions, which only motions consisted of their interlocked glance that never broke.

They were lying in the infirmary now, staring at each other, while around them their family and friends sat, concerned. Finally sleep claimed them and they drifted into darkness...

When Ash woke up again the infirmary, night had defeated the day and tainted everything in a dark colour. The only noise came from Draco's light breathing in the bed next to her. Slowly she turned her head to look at him. He was breathing evenly, but she knew he was awake. His arms where crossed behind his head and his eyes where staring at the ceiling. He noticed her stare and turned his face to look at her.

He smiled when he met her eyes, a smile that she returned.

Softly Ash threw the blanket away from her body and weakly crossed towards his bed, where he already awaited her with his own blanket open for her to slip in. Without any hesitation she slipped in with him and lay her head on his warm breathing chest. Quickly he let the blanket fall back down across them and held her close, gently moving his hand over her back.

Again they just lay there in silence. It was a comforting silence that seemed to fill them with energy again.

After they stayed in that position for what felt like forever, Draco finally broke the silence. "How are you?" he asked.

Ash looked up at him, but he was still looking at the ceiling. "I'm fine, now. How about you?"

He nodded. "Fine."

"You know what fine means, right?" Ash asked a smile playing across her face when she remembered that time he had asked her the exact same question.

He gave half a chuckle. "**F**ucked up, **I**nsecure, **N**eutrotic and **E**motional."

Ash put an arm around his body and hugged him tight.

"Who was he?" Draco asked quietly.

Ash swallowed hard, "my ex-boyfriend."

"And here I was thinking you actually had taste." Draco chuckled.

"He looked better the last time I saw him. Less ... twisted. I guess his inner beauty came through."

"He's the reason why you're here, right?" She nodded into his chest. "I guess I'll have to be grateful to him then," Ash looked up at Draco shocked, he just keep staring at the ceiling.

"Idiot," she grumbled and burrowed her head deeper into his chest. He tightened his hold of her.

Silence swept over the two of them again.

"What do you think we should do now?" Ash asked after a while.

"What do you want to do?" Draco asked back.

"I guess I'd just like to forget about it and get on with life."

"Then that's what we're gonna do." Ash smiled into the boys chest and heard the smile on his face as he continued speaking. "Tomorrow we'll get out of here and move on."

The two of them were still entangled when they got woken by the sound of people rushing into the infirmary. Many of them letting out disapproving gasps when they saw that they where sleeping in the same bed.

Ash tried to stay silent, pretending to sleep, when she heard Draco emit an annoyed grunt which made her giggle.

"Their awake," she heard someone say. She sighed and forced herself to open her she propped herself on her elbows and looked around. Under the blanket Draco tightened his grip on her, telling her to not go away.

"Morning," she said with another yawn and looked around at the people that where standing around the bed. She was actually surprised at how many people were there. There was Blaise and Tracy who looked happy to see her and Draco awake (and Ash could have sworn to see a flicker of amusement in their eyes when they noticed Draco's arm around her), Pansy and Daphne who were glaring at her and looked at Draco concerned, then there was Ginny who seemed just as amused at the entangled pair as Tracy and Blaise and relieved when she saw the smile that was playing around Ash's face - she wouldn't go back to her former depressing self - last but not least there were Ron, Hermione and Harry, who didn't seem happy about the situation with Draco but looked past that and were just relieved that she was alright.

"What are you doing in Draco's bed?" Pansy screeched making Ash focus of her again.

Ash raised one of her eyebrows. "You jealous?" she asked mockingly.

Pansy was fuming, "You bitch."

"So I've been called."

"You slut!"

"So I've... no, that ones actually new," she said turning to Draco, who shrugged.

"If you're just going to screech around leave," Draco said and stared at her.

"But... but Dracie!" Pansy said shocked by his harsh words but was quieted by his icy stare. Quickly she turned around and fled the room. Daphne following her silently.

"That was mean," Ash told him matter-of-factly when Daphne left the room.

"She was giving me headaches," Draco shrugged.

Rolling her eyes she looked back at the others. "He's an douche," she told them in an apologetic tone of voice which made their visitors giggle.

"But an hot douche," he added and squeezed her hip which made Ash glare down at him playfully.

"How are you feeling?" Ron asked changing the topic.

Ash looked at him with a warm smile. She could see the sorrow and guilt in his eyes that he hadn't been there to save her. "I'm good, really." Ash told him and got out of the bed to hug him. "You don't have to worry about me, you know, I'm a strong girl," she whispered into his ear as his hug tightened around her.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, alright?" he whispered back to her to which she nodded.

Next she walked over to Ginny. "I was really scared when they told me what happened," Ginny confessed.

Ash scrunched up her face, "Poor Ginny-poo. You know I can take care of myself. I already escaped him once. I will always be able to escape him and the terrors of the time. Also you don't have time to worry about me when you've got Ron, Hermione and Harry to worry about. At least I don't go hunting for danger, unlike those three."

Ginny sighed. "Don't remind me," but then smiled up at Ash once again.

After Ginny, Harry and Hermione came over to her. Hermoine gave her an bone crushing hug, while Harry stood there a bit awkwardly, feeling bad about how he had treated her before the last couple of weeks. Annoyed Ash pulled him into a hug. Quietly she whispered into his ear. "Remember that feeling the next time you wanna be a jerk towards me." Ash felt him stiffen, but then he loosened again when she gave him an kiss on the cheek and whispered "You know I can't stay mad at Voldi's arch enemy."

"Voldi?" Harry chuckled.

"You like?"

"Me like."

Ash grinned up at him. Behind her she could hear Draco talking with Tracy and Blaise. "Thank you guys for coming," she told the Gryffindors with a smile and gave them another big hug.

Then she turned to face the rest of the group and jumped on Blaise's back yelling "Piggyback!" Caught of guard he stumbled towards the wall, but caught himself before hitting it or falling down.

"You're annoying, you know that?" Blaise grumbled while moving her into an comfortable position.

"But that's why you love me!"

"Sadly," he mumbled, which gained him a slap on the shoulder by Ash.

"I wanna get out of here," Ash told them, trying to stir Blaise in the direction of the door, which weirdly enough did not work.

"Madam Pomfrey didn't allow you to go yet," Tracy chimed and told Blaise to dump her of in bed again, her own bed.

"No!" Ash squeaked when Blasie wanted to do just that. "My bed is cold. I want Draco's bed." Ash pouted. Blaise and Tracy looked at each other then down at Draco who was already moving to the side to make space for her. With a sigh Blaise turned back around and put her into Draco's bed. Sitting down on the other end himself. Tracy copied him.

"You know what the sad thing is?" Draco asked after a couple minutes of silence.

All three looked up at him.

"Its the weekend, we didn't even miss a single day of school!" Ash's jaw fell as realisation hit her.

"Why is life so unfair!" she cried, making all the others laugh.

"I can't believe that really is your only concern after what happened!" Tracy sighed in disbelieve. But Draco and Ash didn't let anything ruin their fake good mood.

They where hurting all over and the curse that they had been under may not have scared them physically but it had scared them emotionally, they just didn't want to admit it. Hence, they put on a smile and joked around.

They got the strength to do just that from each other. They needed one another, otherwise they would loose themselves in a tornado of negativity and despair.

After what seemed like years, Madam Pomfrey finally came to check on her two patients.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, ignoring the fact that they where lying in the same bed. She had already seem them when she had come in that morning to check on them, while they were still asleep.

"Fine," both answered simultaneously and went into an fit of laughter. Their light mood not reaching their eyes though.

"Are we allowed to leave yet?" Ash asked the nurse when she had calmed down again.

"I still want to run a few tests, but once they are over, I don't see why not, you seem to be lively enough," she answered and smiled at the teenagers that where clinging at each other.

Their friends may have not noticed but the nurse had seen these types of behaviours enough to see the pain they were in. Holding them prison in their beds and the infirmary, wouldn't help them. She'd have to keep an eye on them while they where living life in the freedom of the school routine.

With a sad look in her eyes she turned away from the kids and started to run the tests. When she finished she told them they could go. "When you ever need to talk, or whenever something is wrong my door is always open for you two," she told them before they went out of the door to grab a bit in the Great Hall, where dinner was served now.


	14. Chapter 13 - Operation Glare

The Great Hall fell silent when Draco and Ash entered. They could feel their peers staring at them as they made their way across the room to the seats Tracy and Blaise had reserved for them. Once they sat down a low murmur erupted as people told each other what had happened and what others had heard and made up.

"Hey you two," Ash smiled ignoring the stares and the talks.

Her friends smiled up at them. "These people are so annoying!" Blaise growled.

"Oh, that's not true. I find it quite entertaining to see them all guessing like that and making up their rumours..." Tracy smiled to herself.

"But its annoying how they walk up to us the whole time asking us the most absurd questions about what happened. I could -" Blaise went on, but Tracy interrupted him.

"Want to know the best rumour I've heard so far?" Draco and Ash looked at each other and nodded. "Well, there is this one rumour that some Huffelpuff came up with, saying that the two of it were caught by Pansy having sex in the snow in front of the Shrieking Shack and that she was so angry that she freaked out and attacked you - hurting you so bad that you had to be send off to the infirmary."

Ash and Draco had tears in their eyes from laughing. "Wow" Ash said, chocking on her laughter, "Pansy? Hurt - us? As if she could even harm one of my hairs if I presented it to her. And anyway, she would never hurt her little Dracie-Poo," she added pinching Dracos cheek when she said Pansy's little nickname.

"Hey, don't underestimate her," Tracy warned.

"I'm not. I'm actually overestimating her already," Ash returned with an sly look on her face. Tracy just shook her head.

"What other rumours are flying around?" Ash asked, hoping to move away from the topic of Pansy.

"Well, none quite as good as the other one, but still entertaining. There's one about you tormenting a small little puppy, until the mother dog came and attacked you."

"What do these people think of us?" Ash asked shocked. "First I'm a slut and then I'm a cruel person that could hurt an innocent little doggy? What else is there? Any of the rumour suggesting that I'm actually a man in disguise?"

"Nope, haven't heard any of those yet." Tracy answered. "But there was one about Draco being a girl in disguise."

"Your joking, right? Right?" Draco asked with eyes as big as plates and mouth hanging ajar.

Tracy laughed and nodded, "this time I actually am."

Relieved Draco let his head hang. "Never joke about something like that again. It's not funny." He was voted wrong however by the laughter of his friends.

"Your face-" Ash gasped between two of her laughing fits.

"-was worth it!" Blaise ended her sentence and finally their laughter ebbed away and was rekindled again by a couple of other rumours and jokes. Throughout the evening Ash felt as if everything was turning back to normal, even forgetting what happened every now and again.

After dinner, Ash's voice was gone due to all the laughing and talking and her stomach felt as if it was ready to burst, thanks to all the delicious foods she had stuffed into herself.

They were just about to leave the room when a voice called out for them to wait. A few seconds later Ron appeared in front of them panting. "Thanks for waiting."

"No problem." Ash told him smiling.

"I wanted to ask if you're alright," Ash nodded an affirmative. "Also... I - I wanted to say sorry for being such an ass to you the past weeks I really had no right. We're still family, right?"

"Correct," Ash said pulling her cousin into an hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek. When they pulled apart Ron tensed a bit and looked at Draco - who looked back, confused.

"Thanks for being there and protecting her. I guess your not the spineless git I always thought you to be," Ron told him.

"Sure..." Draco said confused while Ash hit her cousins arm and laughed. Hugging Ron one last time they separated and went to their common room.

"What was that?" a bewildered Draco asked once Ron was out of sight.

"I think that was a failed attempt at being nice to you."

"Why would he do _that_?" Draco asked shocked.

"Well, because he heard what happened and thought it nice of you to save me from that bastards curse."

"Alright..." Draco shook his head.

"Be happy that he didn't try to hug you," Tracy whispered making him flinch at the thought.

"You guys are impossible." Ash told them as they reached the common room wall, adding "Lime Drops" to open the wall.

Once they entered they went over to their usual seats in front of the window, where Theodore, Daphne and Pansy where already sitting. As the saw them coming, Theodore smiled at them and the two girls sent Ash glares that where meant to kill - thank merlin they couldn't.

"Now I know what I was missing the whole time during dinner!" Ash whispered into Blaise's ear.

"What?" he asked confused.

"The burning glares of my two BFF's." Ash told him with sarcasm dripping from every word making Blaise chuckle.

When they sat down Pansy came over to Draco and tried to sit on his lab. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh Dracie, I just wanted to tell you that I forgive you."

"Forgive me what?"

"Oh you know, telling me to shut up and leave. I understand that you were having a bad moment and that you didn't mean it."

"I really did mean it, you were annoying me to no end," he told her.

"But Draco, I love you."

"That's nice of you."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Yeah, what else should I say?"

"Well, how about that you love me as well."

"That would be a lie," Draco told her with absolutely no emotion in his voice.

Tears appeared in her eyes when she jumped up and stared at Draco in shock. "But...But..." she tried saying something before she stopped and looked next to Draco at Ash. "It's all your fault you little whore!" she screeched and in a fit of rage jumped at the other female. "You bitch took him away from me! You and your shinning blond hair and those big green eyes."

The tears where now showering over Pansy's face as she tore at Ash's hair. In return Ash tried to push the girl off and then started slapping the attacking girl when she couldn't get her off. Quickly the people around them got up and tried to prise Pansy off of Ash.

After a minute of struggle they finally managed and Pansy ran into the dorm rooms to cry. Daphne followed her after sending Ash another death glare and saying "You little boyfriend stealing whore; first Blaise and now Draco - don't you have any morals? Better watch your back you little bitch, we'll get you back for this. Believe me."

"What was that just now?" Ash asked after the girls had vanished. All of them shook their heads. "Wait. Did she just say boyfriend stealer? First Blaise, now Draco?" Turning to Blaise she asked "You had a girlfriend?"

"Nope."

"I think she meant her marking him as hers." Tracy suggested helpfully.

Nodding she turned to Draco. "Pansy's your girlfriend?"

"Not that I know of," Ash nodded.

"Why do I always get falsely accused of stuff?" Ash pouted. "First as an slut, then as a dog terrorizer and now as an boyfriend stealer."

The others just shrugged still a bit perplex of this evenings events. "What are you planning on doing now?" one of them asked.

Ash shrugged. "I guess Operation Glare just got an new target.

As the clock struck 12 Ash wasn't asleep like her roommates, she was wide awake waiting for the perfect time to come and make her move.

Quietly Ash slipped out of her bed and muttered, "lumos," when she reached her trunk and opened it. Quietly she started searching for the needed accessories.

First Ash pulled out two of the trick wands as well as 2 packages of itching powder, two bald head masks, a couple of fake pimples and warts, the funny talking weighing scale, 2 black soaps.

Quietly she took the first half of the set and went to work on Daphne. First she did the most obvious thing and traded her real wand for an fooling copy of the trick wand. Next she applied the fake pimples and warts masterly before muttering a spell that made the warts and pimples appear to be real and adding a spell that would only allow the objects to be removed by magic.

Next she sprinkled the bald head mask with itching powder that she enchanted to only start itching once the wearer was awake. With a little difficulty she managed to get all of her hair inside the mask and glue it on with a easy sticking spell. Lastly she performed the same spells on the mask fixing it into place until magic was used to get it off and to make it appear like someone really shaved of her hair.

She did the same to Pansy.

Then she went into the bathroom and changed the weighting scale with her talking one, hexing it to only insult Pansy and Daphne. Lastly she exchanged their soaps with the blackening soaps, changing their appearance to look exactly like the one they used.

Once she finished Ash let out an happy sigh and went to back to bed. She couldn't wait for the morning to arrive and watch the spectacular events take place.

She was awakened by a scream the next morning. Pretending she didn't know what was happening, she stumbled out of bed and saw Tracy holding onto the bathrooms door frame trying to hold back laughter.

Quickly she ran over to the bathroom Ash looked at were Tracy was looking and couldn't hold back her laughter.

Pansy was standing in front of the mirror shock written all over her face. Next she tried to fix her face by scrubbing it hard with her soap. That however had the opposite effect for it made everything only worse. With every rub her face and her hands turned black and blacker.

Ash was already crying from laughter when Daphne raced past her into the bathroom. "What happened to my hair, its so itchy" she screeched until she saw Pansy bald with a black face and pimple and warts all over her face. "What happened to your face?" she asked shocked, forgetting her own problems for a second.

Pansy who was crying out of desperation turned to look at Daphne "The same as happened to your face," she cried.

That brought Daphne back to her own problems and she raced to look into her mirror. Taking her soap she started to try and scrape of the pimples and warts that hadn't been there when she had gone to sleep the day before, turning her face and hands just as black as Pansy had.

"Why aren't they coming off?" the two of them cried.

"How about you go out and ask Madam Pomfrey to help you get rid of it all, with magic?" Tracy suggested through a couple of laughing fits.

"My wand!" Pansy squealed and pushed past Ash and Tracy and went to get her wand. Daphne followed suit.

"Tergio," Pansy yelled pointing at her face, but instead of wiping of everything foreign to her face a rubber duck came flying out of her wand, hitting her square in the face. "What the? Tergio," she tried again with the same result. "Daphne," she yelled.

"Tergio," Daphne tried pointing her wand at Pansy's face. This time of was a frog that hit Pansy in the face.

Anger was spread across their faces when they turned to their laughing roommates. "What did you do?" They squeaked sending them glares.

"Who?" Ash asked.

"Both of you!" they yelled at the same time.

"_We_ didn't do anything," Ash answered truthfully, leaving out that it was just her that did it.

The two girls glared at them and then raced out of the room crying and scratching they head to make the itching disappear.

"Wanna follow them?" Ash asked Tracy quickly once they left the room. Tracy nodded but added "You should put on something first though." Glancing down Ash noticed that she was still in her pyjamas and quickly changed into her school uniform. Her hair and stuff could wait until she saw what happens next.

Swiftly they followed the trail of the other girls into the common room where they found a number of people rolling on the floor from laughter. Two of them being Draco and Blaise who quickly followed them when the girls passed them.

"What did you do?" Draco gasped when he caught up with Ash and was now running next to her, following the trail of laughter.

"Who?"

"You," he said.

"I used a couple of harmless muggle pranks and pimped them a bit with magic. Oh you should have been there when they first woke up and looked into the mirror! It was hilarious!" Ash bragged and quickened her pace when she noticed that their housemates had run to the Great Hall.

"This is getting even better then I could ever have planned!" she whispered excitedly as they ran into the Great Hall and saw everyone pointing and staring at her victims. Even the teachers were trying their hardest to keep them from laughing - some failing miserably.

"Who knew they were stupid enough to run into the Great Hall with faces like that?" Tracy asked holding her stomach.

Quickly Ash muttered a quiet spell that made the magic she cast on their faces lose all its magical properties, hoping that the teachers wouldn't be able to follow its lead back to her.

Next thing Ash saw was the two girls racing at the teachers table in their pyjamas -Pansy in a cute little pink pyjama with pigs on it and Daphne in a navy blue tang-top and neon green pyjamas with yellow monkey on it - while the first of the warts and pimples already started to fall off.

Satisfied with her little prank she turned and walked to the Slytherin table to grab something to eat. While the rest of the Hall was still laughing and pointing at her former friends and the teachers fixed up their face with an swift "Tergio," spell and sent them back to their room to get changed.


	15. Chapter 14 - Animagus

Hermione wasn't as happy about the prank Ash pulled on Pansy and Daphne, she made that clear when Ash entered the Arithmancy class room that morning.

"That was you, wasn't it?" she asked when Ash sat down on her usual spot next to her.

"What?"

"The prank with Pansy and Daphne."

"Yeah. Nice, right?" Ash beamed but got sent back to earth by the stare Hermione gave her.

"Are you sure you didn't overdo it a bit? I mean, they were freaked out. Their probably dramatized right now," she insisted.

"Oh, Hermione your over reacting. It wasn't that bad!"

"Why did you do it anyway? I thought you were friends with them."

"Yeah, I thought so too, before they started insulting me every waking hour for no reason at all. I just had a bit of fun getting back at them."

"Well, what did they say to you?"

"They were always calling me names and saying that I 'stole their boyfriends'. Weird thing is, they didn't/don't even have boyfriends."

"Well, Draco was Pansy's 'boyfriend' for quiet a while and I'm sure if you weren't there they'd be together right now."

Ash gave Hermione a confused look. "What does that have to do with me that Draco and Pug-face aren't together? We're just friends."

Hermione jaw dropped as she gave Ash an disbelieving stare. "Don't tell me that there's nothing happening between you and Draco. Its plain as day that you like each other, in more then just a friendship way. I mean, Draco's an spineless git, there's no spark of bravery in him. And yet he didn't run away when he saw you being tormented, but actually decided to help you. That has to mean something. Also, the way he looks at you every now and then... It's even making me jealous and I don't even like that guy."

Ash gave Hermione one last glance before falling silent and contemplating what she had just been told...

"Hey Draco," Ash smiled unsure, whilst turning red, when she sat in her usual seat next to him in her Transformations class. She was still thinking about what Hermione had said to her in the class before. Quickly she turned to wave 'Hello' at Ron and Harry who waved back at her. When her face turned back too her normal skin colour she sat back around again and looked at the front.

Did Draco really like her? Was he really interested in being more then just friends, more then just a girl to fuck? Was she interested in being more then just friends with Draco? Was she ready for an relationship? - Thoughts like these haunted her mind while she tried to listen to the Professor talk about Animagus.

"What kind of animal would you be, if you were to be an Animagus?" Draco whispered to her, forcing her out of her thoughts.

"Uh," she said and tried to remember what he had just asked. "I don't know. What about you?"

"I think you'd be a wolf."

Ash turned to him surprised. "A wolf? How come?"

"Well, you are athletic, good-looking and brimming with self-confidence. Also you are extremely loyal to your friends and family - even if they don't let themselves be combined very well. You just accept everyone the way they are. But if someone goes against you, you tend to show your dislike clearly and at times get quite aggressive. Also you are readable like an open book when people know you because you wear most of your thoughts and emotions on your face. Furthermore, your social life is very important to you, you don't stand being alone and can make friends easily, gaining their trust and loyalty in almost an instant.

"Also you are extremely goal oriented and hard working. I mean, who the hell would willingly take nine classes and on top of that take three extra curricular courses? And don't try to tell me that you haven't been sneaking away every evening when you don't have your courses to practise." Draco told her earning an amazed look by Ash.

"You- You know all that about me by just knowing me for a bit more then two weeks?" Ash inquired and raising her eyebrow she added, "have you been watching me?"

Draco smirked at her and leaned towards her. "You'd like to know, wouldn't you?"

"Oh yes sir I would," she smirked back at him.

Draco was just about to say something, when a rod hit the table in between the two of them. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Weasley could the two of you please shut up? I'm trying to teach a class here," Professor McGonagall said tight lipped "And if you may wonder. You have detention today after school. Come to my study when your classes have ended."

Annoyed both Draco and Ash eyed their Professor and sighed, keeping quiet until the end of the class.

When all of their classes ended Draco and Ash found themselves next to each other in front of McGonagall's office door. They didn't really have the opportunity to talk at any other time throughout the day and Ash had been thinking about what Hermione had said the whole day. When she had asked Blaise and Tracy about it they had just smiled and told her to ask him - not very good help, she had decided. But what should she do about it? She couldn't just keep quiet and keep on thinking about it.

She was still thinking about it when Draco greeted her by hugging her from behind. "Hey" he whispered with a smirk playing around on his face. Ash greeted him back with a shy smile and hi. Together they went into the professors office.

She was sitting at her desk and was correcting some papers. When she heard them come in, she glanced up at them over her spectacles and motioned them to take a seat in front of her. Then she went back to correct her papers.

"What do you still know about about the Fera Verto spell?" she asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"It turns an animal into an water goblet." Ash answered

"Good, and what do you know about the Avifors spell?"

Again Ash shot out the answer. "It turns an object into an bird."

"Draconifors?"

"Turns a dragon statue into a real life fire-breathing dragon."

"Good job, Miss. Weasley. Do you also know why you are here?"

"Because we were disrupting your class by talking," she said with a guilty look on her face.

The professor nodded. "I won't keep you here any longer. Your real punishment will start tomorrow during class." The two Slytherins looked at McGonagall confused. "I believe that both of you are very bright students, therefore I think that your reason for talking is that you already know everything there is to know about Animagus. Hence, I want you two too show off your knowledge by teaching your classmates about it." The professor smiled at them when she finished and signalled them to leave before turning back to her papers.

Perplex the two students went out of the room and closed the door behind them "What do you know about Animagus?" Draco asked Ash when they were alone.

"It allows people to turn into Animals?" Ash asked.

"That's about as much about it as I know too."

"I guess we'll have to pull an all-nighter," Draco nodded and turned to towards the library, quietly followed by Ash.

When they reached the library Ash and Draco stormed at the librarian and asked her to give them all her books concerning Animagus. Swiftly they gathered the books and sat down in an quiet corner to search through the books for some interesting facts.

The search was quiet with the exception of the occasional. "Can you give me that book?"; "Find anything interesting yet?" or "Do you already have that?". After a while they believed to have gathered everything there was about Animagi there is.

"Do you think that is enough?"

"We can say what an Animagi is, we have the laws, we have an tremendous amount of stuff with what you are not supposed to mix it up with as well as other transfigurations that are similar. Only thing that we could still get some info on is how you actually acquire the skill, but there's nothing in these books about it. Although it would be the most interesting part. Can you imagine turning into an animal? That would really be awesome." Ash told Draco shuffling through the papers they copied. "Where do you reckon we could find information about that?"

"Probably the restricted section," he said with a shrug. "But we're not allowed in there without the permission of a teacher."

"Where is the restricted section?"

"We're leaning against it. Do you see the locked door over there? That's the entrance."

"Draco."

"Huh?"

"I need you to distract the Librarian, maybe ask her if she has any other books about Animagi or something around those lines."

"You will not sneak into that section!"

"Why not?"

"If they find you, you'll be expelled!"

"Is Dracie-Poo scared? Don't worry, I wont be found if you distract the Librarian successfully. I'm relying in you," Ash told him and gave him a quick hug and a kiss on his cheek. Tight-lipped Draco watched make her way towards the door and swiftly stood up and went to the librarian - outwardly cursing her stupidity and inwardly hoping she wont be caught.

Once Ash saw Draco talk to the Librarian and ushering her to the opposite end of the Library, she took out her wand and opened the locked door. With a swift glance around her and back at the vacant Librarian seat she stepped inside.

She didn't have a lot of time. Draco couldn't distract Madam Pince forever and also it was about half an hour before the library closed at 8.

Swiftly she muttered a little spell that she had stumbled across a few years ago, a spell that created a little light that swept through the library and showed her which book she needed for the task at hand. Quietly she told it that she wanted to know about how to become an Animagus and briskly followed the light through the restricted section. After passing a couple of selves the light stopped in front of a big dark book with the title "The Restricted Arts". Once Ash took the book the light extinguished. Softly she muttered a spell that made the big book in front of her into a nice convenient size that would fit into her pocket and quickly raced out of the restricted section, seeing that Draco was now arguing with the Librarian.

When he saw her he quickly apologized to the lady and raced back too there study place.

"Did you find something?" he quickly asked her when he sat down next to her. She beamed at him and nodded. "Good, because I'm probably not allowed to enter the Library ever again after today." Ash laughed and together they started packing up and putting back the books they wouldn't need any more, while keeping those they believed actually would help them with their 'class' and went to the librarian desk to check them out.

Briskly the two of them raced to the common room which they found stuffed.

"We can't learn in here," Ash pointed out. It seemed as if their house was actually having an spontaneous party.

"Nope, not really."

"Do you know any other place we could go to?"

After a few seconds of silence Draco nodded and took a hold of her hand, pulling her after him while he left the common room again. "There's the Room of Requirements. But we have to be quick, curfew will start soon." Ash nodded and followed after Draco's fast pace quietly.

When Draco and Ash reached the seventh floor, Draco started pacing up and down. Ash just watched him in amusement. After he went past her 3 times a door appeared in the wall.

"Nice," Ash commented and smiled at Draco who had come to a stop and opened the door to let her in. As Ash entered she was astonished at what she saw. It was an extremely comfortable little room with a fireplace, a couch and an big table to study at. "Wow, good job Draco," she said approvingly and sat down on the couch taking out the book she had taken from the restricted section. Magicking it to its original size she opened it up at the first page and started reading feverishly.

There while Draco settled himself next to Ash and began reading one of the books that they had borrowed from the library. "Don't you think that we should first concentrate on the stuff we should actually present tomorrow in class?" he asked after a while making Ash look up from her book.

"Oh... yeah, I guess your right," she said and quickly put the book away, taking one of the other ones. "What do you think McGonagall wants us to talk about?"

"I'm guessing the general stuff. Such as laws and how hard it is to acquire the skill and bladibladibla."

"Good.. so now we have the books now we only need to find the info in them and write them out. Once we have the info written out we can come up with a nice little class schedule." And that is what they did. They read through all of the books they had, wrote out the information they found as interesting or relevant and then decided on what they would teach the others about it and how they would do it. When they finally finished it was 3 o'clock in the morning.

Ash yawned when they finished of writing the last word on their class plan. "How do teachers do it?" she asked while laying down so her head was resting on Draco's lap.

"They don't have to research the topics before, they already know it all," Draco answered.

"True, the lesson plan wasn't to hard to make after we knew all the facts... you tired yet?" Ash asked turning her head to look at her partner.

"Not really, you?"

"Nah, I'm way to excited about tomorrow to sleep and also, that book has been calling out to me since I put it away," she told Draco while staring at the book that she had gotten from the restricted section of the library. "Imagine being an Animagus! What animal do you think you would be?"

"I guess I always saw myself as more of a reptile," he answered smugly, "or carnivore."

"I always thought of you more as the ferret" Ash joked making Draco glare at her.

"You heard 'bout that?" he asked pulling a face.

"Course I did, Ron is my cousin you know," she laughed while Draco rolled his eyes at her and started playing with her hair. "Now, no jokes here, I think you are more of a snake person. I can't give a wonderful descriptive why, like you did. But I see you as a snake."

Draco smiled down at her. "Maybe. But I guess we'll never know."

"Why not?" Ash asked while sitting up and turning to face Draco. "We already have the book. Why not try it?"

"It's dangerous. Didn't you understand any of the books we just read through? We aren't the most powerful of Wizards and if you don't have enough power it could all go terribly wrong and we'd be stuck in an mutilated animal form forever!"

"Merlin! You're always such a pessimist! We are powerful, we are strong, we can do this." By now she had turned her full body to look at him and was holding his face in her hands. "Imagine turning into an animal at any given time. Explore the world from a new perspective. Running away from the hardships of being a wizard when you can't bare it any more," Ash smiled at him brightly.

"But what if we attempt it and something goes wrong?" Draco asked one last time.

"It won't. We'll be doing this together, making sure that nothing goes wrong. We can do this," Ash grinned and then whispered into his ear, "_together_."

Draco stayed still for another minute not looking away from her eyes. Finally he nodded. "Lets get that book and see how its done," he smirked while Ash grinned from ear to ear and got the book. With the book in her hands she went back to Draco who pulled her down next to him and let her rest her head on his chest while they turned to the section about Animagus and started reading.

When morning came the two of them were still holding on to the book, but weren't reading it any more. They had fallen asleep at around 5. Nothing disrupted their sleep, until an alarm sounded from somewhere. Annoyed Draco woke up. It took him a minute to remember where he was, but quickly he turned off the alarm he had set on his wand the other evening. Sleepy he looked back down at the sleeping Ash, who was clutching the book they had been reading together as if her life depended on it.

She looked so peaceful when she slept. Curled up in a ball, with her hair sticking out in every direction of her head and a little smile playing on her lips, she looked like Draco always imagined an angel.

For a while Draco just sat there watching her dreaming and breathing. He knew he would have to wake her up soon, but for another couple of minutes he just enjoyed watching her.

When he started shaking her and whispering her name into her ear, she woke up instantly. Snapping her head to the side and hitting his chin in the process. With a groan Ash touched her head and looked up at Draco who was clutching his chin. "Where are we?" she asked sleepily.

"We're still in the Room of Requirement, we fell asleep at one point. But classes will soon start." he said while standing up.

"Classes... Classes! Transfigurations our first class today! Are we ready? Do we still know everything?!"

"Relax! Everything will be alright. Don't worry." Draco told her while holding her shoulders so she was looking at him.

Ash took a deep breath. "Yeah, your right. Everything will work out alright. Lets do this"

Briskly they gathered up their belongings and hurried to their common room to dump the stuff they wouldn't be needing and grab a change of clothes. Then they hurried to the Great Hall where the breakfast was about finished.

"Where were you tonight?" Tracy asked when Ash sat down next to her and Draco took a seat next to Blaise.

"We had to study," Ash told them honestly. "Our punishment for talking in class yesterday was to hold a class about Animagus. And with that little party you guys had in the common room we wouldn't have been able to get anything done, so we went somewhere else."

"Ah, and why didn't you come back?"

"We fell asleep."

"Did you get everything ready?"

Ash looked at Draco. "Yeah I think we're ready to rock this boat!" she answered with a smile.

There next stop was the Transfiguration classroom, where Professor McGonagall was already waiting for them.

"Alright you two. I hope you came prepared. This class will make half of your semester grade."

"You didn't tell us that before!" Ash said shocked.

"Well, I'm sure you'll manage," the professor told them and then turned to look at the class. "Listen everyone. Today I will not be teaching you," a murmur started to go around the room. "Today Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Weasley offered to take over for me and will teach you about Animagus." Stunned silence filled the room as McGonagall went to the table Ash and Draco normally occupied and sat down.

Everyone stared up at them, as they prepared for the two Syltherin's to make a fool out of themselves. Draco and Ash shared one last glance before they started talking at the same time, making everyone snicker.

The two of them fell silent again when Draco signalled Ash to start. Nodding Ash turned to look at the class and smiled. "As Professor McGonagall already pointed out, we will be telling you a bit about Animagus. What do you guys know about Animagus?" she asked looking around. When nobody answered she focused her eyes on Harry and Ron who were trying to hold back laughter. "Mr. Weasley? Do you know what an Animagus is?"

Ron looked up shocked. "Um, a Animagus is a wizard or witch that can turn themselves into animals." he answered glaring at Ash, because she pinpointed him.

"Exactly," she smiled and looked at the rest of the class. "An Animagus is an wizard or witch that can morph into the form of an animal at will. You are not to mix them up with an Metamorphmagus nor Lycanthrophy because the magic behind it and the process of becoming one is very different."

Draco went on. "For your reference, a Metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard that is born with the ability to change they appearance at will, while Lycanthrophs are infected and Animagus go through a hard procedure to become an Animagus.

"Do any of you know another difference between Lycanthrophs and Animagus? - Potter."

"Lycantrophs are forced to change and lose their personality when they change, where as Animagus can change any given time and keep their personality."

"Correct. There are also other differences between normal Transfiguration and Animagus Transfigurations... " Draco carried on.

They talked about the registration law by the government, where at this point in time only six Animagi were registered - including Professor McGonagall. They talked about the penalties of being an unregistered Animagus - a five year sentence in Azkaban. They talked about known Animagi throughout history - including Falco Aesalon the first recorded Animagi. They taught about the special traits of an Animagus in their animal form - asking the Professor to change into her cat-form and showing the others the dark rings around the cats eyes, indicating her glasses. Then they told them about the problems of becoming an Animagus and showed them nice little pictures they found about how it looks when the transformation goes wrong.

When the class was over their peers actually clapped and congratulated them on the successful class. As did the Professor, who seemed more them pleased with their performance. "Good job you two," she told them. "How did you like being the teacher for once?"

"Never again," Draco answered without a second thought which Ash second.

"Now, now, you did a great job. But I hope you learned that you should not talk during my classes." The two of them nodded eagerly when she said that and then rushed out of the class room to get to their next classes.

Just before they had to split up Ash turned and asked Draco: "Wanna meet up at the Room of Requirement after school again to try it out?"

"Sure, I'll see you there!"


	16. Chapter 15 - Animagi

When school finished and Ash had said farewell to Tracy and Blaise. She quickly ran to the Room of Requirements where she found Draco already waiting - sitting on the couch with the book in his hands. As soon as Ash closed the door behind her she couldn't help but grin in excitement.

"You ready?" she asked and wrapping her arms around Draco's neck, bringing her face next to his.

He gave her a sideways glance, "yeah."

"Alright then let get going. What do we need?"

"We wont be needing any herbs or such, just a circle which we will have to draw on the floor and sit inside." Draco told her while reading in the book.

"Alright so we will need a big patch of unoccupied floor and a pen to draw on the floor." Ash stated and was surprised when the room launched into action - increasing in size to make a large patch of floor appear, with a pen plopping up in the middle of the floor. "OK. So what do I have to draw?" Ash looked at Draco while picking up the pen from the floor.

"Here look," he said and showed her the picture of a complex variety of circles with writing, and pentagons, stars, triangles, etc. Ash was overwhelmed by the circle she would have to draw in a minute.

"Wow... why can't it be one of those nice little circles where you just need to draw a big circle with a star in the middle?!" she sobbed, but then started to copy the drawing from the book onto the floor. It took Ash over two hours to complete the drawing exactly and Draco was only halfway done with his when she sighed contently. "Do you need any help?" she asked glancing at him.

"Can't you have to draw it yourself." he answered while continuing to copy the projection he had conjured up to help him get the drawing right.

Ash nodded and for a few minutes they sat in silence. "Hey Draco..."

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you some questions while your working?"

"Sure"

"D-Do you like me?"

For a second Draco looked up and looked at her. Then he turned back to his drawing before answering, "yes."

"What about me?"

"A number of things."

"That's not a very helpful answer."

Draco sighed. "I like... that you don't ever pretend to be someone who your not, I like how you always make me laugh and that I don't have to act in front of you. I like how you accept everyone the way they are. I like how can be extremely manipulative and flirtatious without even noticing and just the way your hair flows down your back and your eyes sparkle when you smile."

Ash was quiet when he finished and red like her cousins hair. Ash knew Draco was waiting for her to say something, she saw his swift glances towards her, while continuing his drawing.

What should she say? That she also likes him? She defiantly did... but was she ready for a relationship? Was she allowed to move on?

"I- I- I like you too," she said after a while, jumping over her fears and confessing her feelings. She saw Draco smile while he continued with his work.

For the rest of the time they didn't utter a single word, until Draco announced that he was finished and they discussed what the next step was.

"We have to chant the spell while sitting in the middle of the circle and whatever may happen we are not allowed to leave the circle."

"It doesn't sound very hard, does it?"

"No not really, but I guess that it'll be harder then we could imagine."

And how right they where...

The pain they where going through was tremendous - it felt like the Cruciatus Curse only 10 times worse. Every single cell in their body was mutating and changing, their bones broke and changed shape and sizes, every muscle stretched and ripped, new muscle formed and were replaced, their faces, their libs and every other part of their body felt as if it were torn of and stitched on again - wrongly.

Even bigger then the pain was the temptation of crawling out of the circle they were trapped in and fleeing this torture or just giving in and falling into unconsciousness. It would be so easy. But they stayed at it. Not moving a single body part from the place they where sitting at just screaming out in pain every now and then and interlocking their eyes in the hope of gaining the strength to carry on the strength to stay awake and live through the pain.

After what seemed to be days of torture the pain finally subsided and the circle they had thoroughly drawn onto the floor got sucked into them. As soon as that happened the two of them fell into a deep sleep...

Ash was looking around herself when she finally woke up again. Everything looked so different... The world had lost some of its colour and seemed to have doubled in size. She saw everything near her in high definition, but things that were father away, seem to have become blurry. While her sight seems to have decreased, her sense of hearing and smell had doubled.

She heard the foot steps on the other side of the door, the laughter from some girls, she even smelt the food the where eating a couple of stories below her. All of it was overwhelming her. Slowly she tried to focus on the room she was in. Blocking out all of the things beyond the room and concentrating solemnly on the smells and noises in this room.

The fire wood that was still glowing, the smell of the leather couch that she hadn't noticed before - it smelled of old polish and a large amount of sweat from the people that had sat on it already. Also there was the smell of books and something that she had also smelled all around the school, but it seemed very prominent here... was it magic? Yes that was it. She even tasted the magic in the air around her. It was a good smell, she felt content with it. She smelled a bit more and spun around when she smelt the smell of another creature and heard a hiss from behind her.

In front of her was a large snake that was curled in itself. It was about twice her own length and had a very fine scaling in - what looked to her - a greenish colour but she guessed that it was really a yellow colour; a colour she seemed to not be able to distinguish with her current eyes. The snake was looking at its surroundings just like she was until if finally locked eyes with her. 'Draco' she thought and slowly made a move towards him.

She walked as if on hands and knees and when she finally looked down at herself she saw four hairy legs and a tail. What was she? She wondered and debated. Its defiantly not a cat. To big for that. A dog? No that didn't feel right. Then she remembered what Draco had said to her in Transfiguration's. Had he been right? Was she a wolf? Yes... she was a wolf. A grey wolf with a few red streaks.

Again she turned to look at the snake. It had been watching her. Slowly she went to it carefully placing one foot in front of the next, so she wouldn't trip.

_Hey,_ she barked.

_Hey,_ he hissed.

_Your looking good,_ she snickered and bumped her wet nose into the snakes side playfully.

_Your not looking to bad yourself,_ he told her while slithering through her legs and then wrapping around her mid section.

_Hey! What are you doing?_ she growls looking down her body at him.

_Getting comfortable,_ he hissed and even though she couldn't see it, she heard the smug smile of his.

She gave him a glare and let herself fall onto the floor where she started rolling on the ground until he finally let go of her. Then she quickly positioned herself over him and beamed down at him, _It worked!_

_I see that,_

In a spout of happiness Ash started liking off Draco's face. _Stop that,_ he hissed trying to slither away from her. _Now... how do we change back?_

_I guess we will it._ Draco looked around one last time and then closed his eyes, willing to be human again.

While Draco turned back to his original form, Ash sat there watching him and mentally turning red when she saw that he wasn't wearing his clothes any more. Not that she really had a problem with him standing naked in front of her. She liked what she saw.

Swiftly Draco was looking around for his clothes but only found shreds on the floor. "I'm guessing that was our uniform?" he asked turning to face Ash - who couldn't help but look at this crotch instead of his face, where she knew that she should be looking. Slowly she answered with a shrug and barked, _I guess so,_ but he didn't understand her in her animal form.

Quickly he changed back into his animal form and looked at Ash in disbelieve. _Could you please stop staring at me?_

Ash grinned at Draco and ignored the question. _I guess our first stop will have to be common room to get some clothes,_ she barked instead.

Silently Draco slithered over to her and attached himself around her waist again. _Your faster then me,_ he hissed and got comfortable.

Annoyed Ash ran up towards the leather couch were they had put down their wands and took them in her mouth, then ran to the door and opened it with her paws. Then she stuck out her head and looked around to see if there was anyone who could see them. No one. Briskly she ran out of the Room of Requirement and made her way down to the basement where their house was located.

_I wonder how the Animagus manage to keep on their clothes._ Ash wondered while nearly falling down one of the staircases.

_Be careful!_ Draco hissed and then contemplated the question, _I guess that they either concentrate on them or that there's a spell that they enchanted their clothes with..._

_Wanna ask McGonagall?_

_I guess that would be the best thing we could do. I don't want to end up naked every time I turn._

Ash nodded her head and stopped when they finally reached the common room wall.

_Lime Drops,_ she barked. Nothing happened. _Did they change the password?_ she asked Draco who shook his head.

_No, I don't think the wall understands wolf._

_That sucks... so who will change and say the password?_

_The one that asked the question_

_Wha-?!_ she started, but was interrupted by the sound of bricks sliding open. Quickly Ash hid and saw how two Slytherins moved out of the common room. As soon as she could she darted out of her hiding spot with Draco and raced through the closing brick entrance.

Quietly Ash tiptoed along the short hallway and then looked into the common room. There were a couple of people sitting on the couches, but none of them were facing the middle of the room.

Trying to get through the open space as quietly as possible Ash tiptoed across the common room. A tasked harder accomplished then thought because her claws clicked every time they hit the cold stone floor.

After a minute, they managed to reach the dorm room door. Now it was Draco's turn to be useful. He swiftly moved his body so that he was able to open the door with his head.

"Uh, look what we've got here," a familiar voice cooed when they entered the dorm splitting room. Looking up Ash saw the two Slytherin portraits look down at them. "We have some new Animagi," Slaza Slytherin told them with a small grin on the face.

As they got over the first shock, Draco got off Ash and annoyed by the nosy pictures they both entered their corridors and went to their room to change.

When Ash entered her room, she was actually hoping that no one would be there, but no such lick for Ash. Yet not all of her luck was gone. Pansy and Daphne weren't there, only a shocked Tracy, when she saw Ash enter the room.

Before Tracy could make a sound, Ash quickly turned into her human form and placed her hand over Tracy's mouth.

"Don't say anything, please?" she begged when she let go of Tracy again.

With still big eyes Tracy stared at Ash. "You're an Animagus?" she asked stunned.

Ash nodded grinning from ear to ear. "So... so that's why you didn't come too dinner yesterday, nor to bed, nor to classes today?"

"I missed classes?" Tracy nodded. "Damn... oh well, it was worth it."

"How did you do it?" Tracy asked, while Ash - remembering that she was naked - walked to her trunk and pulled out a new set of clothes.

"We'll you know that Draco and I had this project on Animagus, right? Well, doing the project awakened the wish to be an Animagus and hence I borrowed a book from the library and found out how to turn into one. Yesterday we did it."

"We? As in you _and_ Draco?" Ash nodded. "So he's an Animagus now too?"

"Yeah, his forms a snake. I think its a Viper of some sort." she said while dressing.

"How... How does it feel?"

Ash stayed silent for a second and looked at Tracy. "It feels awesome, no fantastic. They world is so different from animal eyes. The smells and sounds... its overwhelming. I don't really know how to describe it."

"Will you register?"

"Nah, it wouldn't be as thrilling if I did."

"But what if your found out?"

"Won't happen. The only ones that know are you, Draco and me and I'll probably tell Blaise as well, but other then that. No one will know or have to know."

Tracy smiled at the now dressed Ash. "I'm jealous."

Ash grinned at her before sticking out her tongue. "You should be," she joked.


	17. Chapter 16 - Clearing of Sibyl

Ash conjured up the time while she was lying in bed, wide awake and not being able to go to sleep. It was 2.23 Saturday morning.

It's now been **3 weeks** since she had come to Hogwarts...  
**3 weeks** since she had become an Slytherin - breaking with the family tradition of being an Gryffindor.  
**3 weeks** since she had become friends with Tracy and Blaise.  
**3 weeks** since she had first talked with Draco.  
**3 weeks** since she had kissed Draco, to make him show her the way to the Great Hall...  
**3 weeks** since the first common room party - where Draco and her had gotten 'closer' and she had told Blaise about her past.  
**Nearly 3 weeks** since her classes started and she had gotten to know the teachers. Had a fight with Ron...  
**2 weeks** since Daphne and Pansy turned on her and wouldn't stop glaring...  
**1 week** since she had received the prank items from Fred and George...  
**1 weeks** since that fateful visit in Hogsmeade...  
**5 days** since the prank she pulled on Pansy and Daphne...  
**4 days** since she told Draco that she liked him...  
**3 days** since she had become an Animagus...

So much had happened in the time she was here. The night was the only real time that she was able to think clearly about everything.

Ash had been worrying about Kat and Jeremy for a while now, but with all that happened she hadn't been able to really contemplate everything. After the incident with Patrick, Ash had sent an letter to her friends, in hope of finding out if they where alright and if Patrick had lied about them... But a week later, she still hadn't received an answer.

She had even tried to reach Kat's and Jeremy's parents, but they didn't respond either. But being stuck in Hogwarts, there was nothing she could do but wait...

Wait for an reply, wait for a word of them... wait... she didn't like waiting. It made her nervous.

Quickly she got out from her bed and went out of the door and down the corridor into the common room. From there she went toward the common room exit and transformed into her wolf form when she reached the corridor.

Quietly she dashed through the hallways and corridors until she came to the school exit and slipped out into the night. She needed some fresh air.

The grounds were quiet. Not a sound was to be heard, except for the swooshing noises the wind made while blowing through the grass and trees. Creeping through the grass Ash let herself fall free of all worries and doubts and just enjoyed _being_.

Slowly she went into the Forbidden Forest. She wasn't scared of anything that was in there. In her too-big-to-be-a-normal-wolf-form she felt unbeatable. Nothing could stop her. No one could hurt her.

While she walked through the forest, she let her mind wander and instinct take over. She was searching for something. She didn't know what though. There was a smell she registered after a few moments. A smell that was calling her to it. She had never smelled anything like it before. It had a hint of magic in it, but more then that it had a smell that made her long for it. The smell filled her with hope and happiness.

When she neared it she slowed down and anxiously took step after step until she reached the clearing where the smell was coming from. A bright light was coming from the clearing and nearly blinded the eyes that where currently accustomed to the darkness of the night.

Step for step she neared the clearing and soon she found herself entering the small patch of light in the dark.

What she saw made her hold her breath. In the middle of the clearing was a small pond, which sparkled and glowed. All around it stood creatures of magic, so pure that it made her knees buckle. A small herd of Unicorns with fur that twinkled like stars, a beautiful elf that was presenting them with water from the well and all around them millions and millions of little fairies fluttered around the whole clearing like fireflies lightening up the air.

Taking in the scene before her eyes she willed herself to transform back into her human form and stepped into the clearing.

At once the heads of the Unicorns turned, the elf stared and the fairies started to swarm around her. But it wasn't in a threatening or frightened way. They seem to be curious of the creature that just stepped into their middle swirling around her like a small tornado they touched her face and pulled at her cloths, stroked her hair and kissed her face.

Not uttering a word the fairies pulled the newcomer towards the pond and let her sit down while they braided her hair and played with her clothes.

After a few minutes the elven women, with pure white hair that glistened in the fairies lights like a diamond, made her way over to the stranger.

_Hello,_ Ash her her voice in her mind.

Ash wanted to answer but the elf didn't allow her to open her mouth. Only pointed at her head.

_Hello,_ Ash thought, hoping it reached the elf.

_How did a young girl like you get lost so far in the Forbidden Forest?_ she asked her ocean blue eyes burning into Ash's.

_I didn't get lost,_ Ash answered. _I followed the smell._

_Then that small nose of yours must be very good,_ the elf smiled and poked her nose. _We haven't seen your kind here for a long period of time._

_Where is this?_

_You are in the Clearing of Sibyl_

_Sibyl... The prophets of the Roman times?_ the elf just smiled for an answer.

_You were on the search for answers, weren't you?_ the elven women said while scooping up a bit of water from the well and holding it out for her. _Don't drink the water, just look._

Ash looked at the elf and then did as told. Slowly she bend forward to look at the water in her hands. However, instead of seeing the elf's palm the water became a mirror and then it started showing her the friends she had left behind in Germany.

_**There was Kat. She was sleeping quietly in her bed - nothing seemed wrong with her. Next it showed Jeremy, it was the same with him. Both where sleeping peacefully.**_

While she continued staring, the picture started changing. Kat was now awake. She had just written a letter to Ash and had sent it of with her owl. Suddenly a crashing noise filled the picture, making Kat turned around frightened.

"Who? Oh my God... W-What happened to you?" she asked looking at the person that had barged into her room, Ash couldn't see the person but she already guessed who it was. A beam of light suddenly hit her friend making her sink to the floor whimpering. Quickly she backed away from the unseen figure. Her face was twisted in fright and terror. She was shivering and tried to back away even more - which was impossible because she was already pressed against the wall.

"Where is she?" a voice hissed into her ear - a voice that she recognized as Patrick's.

"I- I- I will never tell you." Again a beam of light hit her and she screamed. The voice asked the same question again but only received the same answer.

Annoyed Patrick made her go through torture one last time and then walked up to the now unconscious Kat. "If you won't tell me, you won't know either," and with that he muttered "Obliviate," making her best friend forget that Ash ever existed.

"What are you doing?" a voice suddenly interrupted the scene and the picture changed to show Jeremy running up to Kat and pushing Patrick away form her. "What did you do to her?"

"The same that I will do to you, if you don't tell me where Ash is."

"Never!" Jeremy yelled and was hit by the Cruciatus Curse. When the curse was lifted he was crying and gently sobbed, "Hogwarts."

"Good boy," a smug Patrick said and petted the broken kid on the head. "Now, forget."

When the picture disappeared, Ash was silently crying. Letting all of her sorrow take over her and flow out again. _So that is why they don't reply my letters... they don't remember me,_ she thought. _I guess its better that way... At least they didn't remember all the hurt they had to go through because of me either._

Gently the elf brushed away the crying girls tears with her thumb.

_Its time for you to go back to where you came from,_ she whispered into her head and the fairies helped her stand up.

_Thank you very much, I don't know how I can repay you,_ she said looking into the elven eyes while slowly walking away from the pond.

_You already did, with your tears._

_Will we see each other again?_

_If you seek answers, we willm_ the elf smiled and then Ash was thrown out of the clearing by the fairies and everything was dark around her again.

Quickly she transformed back into her wolf form and followed her own scent back to Hogwart's grounds.


	18. Chapter 17 - New Beginnings and a Date

After what happened Ash couldn't sleep any more. The visit to the Clearing of Sibyl had not only given her the answer about her friends in Germany, but made her see more clearly.

Like her friends had forgotten her. She needed to forget about them and her past as well. Her continuous grasp on the past made her forget herself. She needed to live again, needed to let herself be herself again. No more hesitations, no more indecision's.

Of course she would never _really_ forget what happened, nor her friends - but she needed to _let go_.

Her past had made her strong. Her past had made her realistic. Her past had made her who she is today.

If luck didn't want to show itself to her any more, as it had done in the past. She would just have to make luck herself, her own luck.

Ash was grinning at the thought as she watched the sun come up from the Astronomy tower. A new day began, as - she had decided - would a new life. Her life.

"Ash," a voice called from behind her as she made her way through the castle corridors. Looking back she saw Ginny running up to her. Ash stopped and waited for the red haired girl to catch up. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

Ash smiled, "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'll continue my adventure of trying to find my way around Hogwarts."

"And how is that working out for you?"

"Quite well. I know exactly were I am."

"And where are you?"

"... on the 3rd floor?"

"4th."

"OK, no point in trying to hide it. I'm lost. I've been at the Astronomy tower and watched the sun rise. Then I started wandering around randomly and now I've been searching for the Great Hall for an hour and don't think I'm anywhere near it," she cried.

"Ha ha, I already thought so. I'm on my way to the Great Hall as well, I'll take you."

"Your a lifesaver Ginny!" Ash yelled and hugged the younger girl.

"Why where you up so early anyway?" Ginny asked when they started walking.

Ash shrugged "I had a lot of things on my mind and it seems a running brain doesn't like sleep very much."

"Like what?"

"Lots of nothing."

"Come on tell me!"

"Just all the stuff that already happened since I'm here. Being sorted into Slytherin. Getting to know Draco, Blaise and Tracy. The prank on Daphne and Pansy. The usual."

"Now that you already brought it up. What's up with you and Malfoy?"

"I brought that up? I only said his name."

"You know what I mean."

Ash laughed. "I'm not sure. We like each other, but that's all that's up so far."

"So... you like him? Like friend like or like like?"

"Like like." Ginny nodded that opened her mouth to say something. But Ash had already anticipated it and quickly added. "Same with him." Again Ginny nodded.

"So will the two of you...?"

"No idea. I was debating if I should ask him on a date to Hogsmeade today. What do you think?" Ash looked at Ginny full of expectation.

Ginny took a deep breath. "You know that I don't really like him, do you?"

"I guessed."

"Well... If you really like him in that way... I guess it wouldn't hurt anyone if you tried," she smiled. Ash grinned at her cousin and embraced her in a big hug.

"You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that!" she beamed at Ginny and together they walked into the Great Hall where they split up and went to their own tables.

When Ash reached the Slytherin table she quickly spotted Draco and Blaise sitting in the middle lost in a deep conversation. Smiling she dashed over to them.

"Hey guys! What are you talking about?"

They looked up at her and smiled in greeting. "We were talking about Quidditch. The try-outs will be held on Monday."

"Oh really? Where do we have to sign up?"

"I posted the announcement in the common room today, with a sheet to sign up to. Didn't you see it when you came out of the dorms?"

"I already left the house shortly before dawn. Hence nope, they weren't hanging there by that time," she told them.

"Why where you already up at that time?"

"You shouldn't be asking that Blaise! You know that I have this secret affair with someone outside the house," Ash joked, making Blaise laugh. Tracy and Blaise had always joked about her having an affair because she had already left when Tracy just woke up on most mornings. Draco however looked as if someone had just slammed a knife into his back and was twisting it around.

When Blaise saw Draco's face, he abruptly stopped laughing and told him that it was an inside joke between Ash, Tracy and himself. Draco didn't look very convinced though and an awkward silence spread between the three.

After a few seconds Ash couldn't take it any more. "Draco," she said while turning her body to look at him. "I was wondering what you were doing today."

He looked at her a bit confused and answered. "Don't have anything planned. Why?"

"I...Well, I was wondering if I could follow up on your Hogsmeade invitation." He looked at her as if she where speaking Chinese. "You know, in the first Transfiguration class?"

Slowly, she could see it dawned to him. "Oh, um, sure. If it alright with your little affair, that is."

Ash looked at him hurt - his voice had told him that he wasn't joking about the affair part. "Blaise just told you that that was only a joke."

"Yeah, he did. But is it really?"

Her jaw fell and without a second thought she slapped him. "Your absolutely unbelievable, Draco Malfoy! Of course it is! What reasons would I have to lie to you?" she spat and abruptly stood up from her seat next to him and stormed out of the Great Hall.

"Go after her, you douche," Blaise told him and that's exactly what Draco did. Swiftly he jumped up from his seat and raced after Ash.

It didn't take him very long to catch up with her. She was standing right outside the open doors of the Great Hall. Waiting.

Again, Draco was confused, but ignored that confusion and went up to her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," he said softly while pulling her towards him.

Ash smirked. "You were jealous."

Draco looked at her stiffly. "No I wasn't."

"Liar."

"... Maybe," he admitted, so quietly that he believed no one but him had heard. But ever since they became Animagi, Ash's hearing seemed to have improved - which was theoretically impossible - and therefore she heard him and silently gave him a small peck on the lips, making 1000 volts electricity sear through his body - just like they did by their first kiss on the first day in Hogwarts.

"See you at the carriages at 12," she whispered into his ear and walked past him, back into the Great Hall to get breakfast.

Draco was waiting at the carriages at the stroke of 12, while watching Ash slowly walk down the stairs towards him. With pleasure he noticed that she had actually changed her outfit and was wearing make up _for him_ - something she normally didn't bother doing.

When she saw him, a smile spread across her angelic features and made Draco's heart pump in excitement - he had never felt this way about anything before and he was liking this feeling. Swiftly he walked over to his date and took her hand.

"Hey," he whispered and smiled at her. She smiled in return. "Lets hurry to the carriage," he suggested and together they went down to the white carriages that where pulled by Thestrals.

"So what are we doing today?" Ash asked him with a smile.

"Well, you already saw most of Hogsmeade and I'm pretty sure you've seen enough of the Haunted Shack. Hence I thought we could go to the only place you haven't been to yet."

"And what would that be?"

"Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop."

Ash looked at him a bit confused, but shrugged it away and smiled at him. "Sure. Sounds... great."

After the carriage ride, Ash and Draco where sitting in the little tea shop where all the couples seemed to go in their free time. Why they would actually come here... Ash could not answer. This place was like a nightmare coming true. The decoration are overly tacky and Ash was sure that if she saw another frilly thing in her life, she was going to puke. The windows where steamed up and all the gaudy tables - that were decorated with lacy napkins and Chinese sugar bowls - and chairs were claimed by teenagers holding hands or kissing over cups of tea and coffee.

There was even a bell over the door that announced customers in a shrill belly way that gave her an head ache.

She couldn't really imagine that anyone could enjoy themselves in here, but was clearly proven wrong by the smiling and giggling people that where sucking off each others faces.

Draco had ordered two cups of tea and a chocolate cake.

"So how do you like it?" he asked anxiously when their order arrived. She hadn't been able to say a word since they had entered the shop.

Shocked, because he had pulled her out of a small trance, she looked up at him and opened her mouth to say something. However when nothing came out she quickly closed it again and looked another time around herself. "It's ... pink," she stated, hoping it would satisfy Draco.

"You don't like it here do you?" Ash looked at him, guilty.

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"I think I found hell."

Draco snickered. "Thank god!" He sighed and gracefully got off his chair, pulling Ash to her feet as well. Briskly he got the cake as a take away and hand in hand the two Slytherins escaped their lacy hell.

"Was that really that shop that everyone keeps talking about?" Ash asked when the door closed behind them and they came to an gradual stop.

"Yep," her date nodded.

"I hereby declare that I do not understand those people."

"I second that," he laughed and, still holding onto Ash's hand, started pulling her towards the Three Brooms.

"If you don't like it, why did you want to go there?"

"Well... since I've went to Hogwarts, that was always the place to go if you were in a date."

Ash shivered in disgust and was happy when they entered the Inn she had come to love in the last 2 weeks. "You should know by know that I'm different then most girls at Hogwarts."

Draco shrugged and ordered two Butterbeer. Together they sat at the table and went on talking for hours, with no end. Ignoring the side glances they got from most people in the room and the sly comments.

A Weasley and a Malfoy on a date. It came to a shock for most people.

When it was nearly sun down, they finished their Butterbeer and left the pub. Together the two of them walked through Hogsmeade hand in hand. After a short while they ended up in front of the forest. When they stood in front of it, Draco turned to face Ash.

"Do you trust me?" he asked her quietly, taking her second hand into his comforting warm hands. Ash nodded, making Draco smile at her. "Then close your eyes."

Ash did as she had been told and let Draco pull her into the forest. He walked with her for a few minutes before pulling her towards him and covering her eyes up with his hands.

They took another few steps, until Draco said, "now open your eyes."

And that is what the Slytherin girl did. She opened her eyes and had to draw a deep breath. Draco had brought her to a small cliff that was looking over the whole mountain panorama while the sun just happened to sink behind the gigantic stones and taint the whole sky in a fiery red.

"Wow, its beautiful."

"I knew you'd like it," he grinned and pulled her body close. Together they just sat there and watched the sun set behind the mountains, while eating the chocolate cake Draco had taken from Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop - Tracy had been right. The cakes were the best.

When the sun was just about to disappear into the night, Ash turned to look at Draco, placed a small hand of hers upon his check and gave him a longing kiss.

"This was the best date I've ever had," she whispered into his ear and contently placed her head on his shoulders.


	19. Chapter 18 - Prophecy and the Beater

It was as if all hell broke loose, the day after their date. Everyone was bombarding them with questions. Where the together? How the hell did that happen? Why would you go out with that person? - huge amounts of questions that not even they were really able to answer.

Where they together now? - Hell it was only one date! Sure it was awesome and they kissed. But did that already mean that they where in a relationship?

How the hell did that happen? - WTF what was up that question? It happened. No 'Hows' or 'Whys' needed.

Why would you go out with that person? - Two guesses who asked that! Bingo! Pansy and Ronald.

It was annoying.

Really.

But, it was defiantly worth it.

Ash hadn't had that much fun on a date for quite a while now and she was pretty sure that Draco had also enjoyed himself.

But both of them didn't want to rush anything. They were just going to let it develop, they decided. If it's going to happen - YAY! If not... well it wouldn't. But due to the secret glances they always stole and the sly smiles they gave when they were caught, proved to them that they wouldn't have to worry about the latter.

Ash just entered the common room with Tracy and Blaise, when she remembered that she still hadn't signed up for Quidditch try outs.

"Quidditch?" Tracy asked her when she reached the side of her friend, who had randomly started running of into the direction of the notice board.

"Yeah, I told you about that, didn't I?"

"Could be..." Tracy said thinking back a bit. "Oh yeah, Beater!"

"Exactly!" Ash grinned and wrote 'Beater' behind her name in brackets.

"I still don't understand why a girl would want to be a beater. I always saw that as more of a Crabbe and Goyle thing." Blaise told them, while they made their way over to their usual place.

"I don't think so. Being a beater isn't all about hitting the big bad ball, its also a big part of the strategy. Where will I hit it? Can I eliminate one of the other players from where I am right now? Maybe even the Seeker? If you let brutes like Crabbe and Goyle be beaters, you pretty much give away one of the strongest weapons that you have."

"Still, I think your way to petite for the part," Blaise argued. "You should rather try out for the chaser part."

"You non-believers! Watch me tomorrow! I will show you the true meaning of skills!" Ash cried and the three of them collapsed laughing at her shrill voice. But the laughter quickly ebbed away, when Pansy suddenly appeared in their mid.

"What do you want?" Tracy hissed but Pansy ignored her, solely focusing on Ash.

"You little bitch, I told you to stay away from him!" she screeched.

"Oh, come on! Haven't we already gone through this? Draco doesn't belong to you. He is not your property. He has his own free will! If he wants to go on a date with me, then he will go on a date with me and vice versa. It's not like we have to ask your permission!" Ash stated, frustrated at her denseness.

"Don't you come at me with that crap! He was mine, way before he even knew of you existence."

"So? Who. Cares?"

"I care, and you will care as well at some point. I know him. I know how to handle that boy. You know nothing! Soon I will laugh at your crying broken self, because that boy isn't meant for you, Weasley. Sure, right now you may be the only one in Draco's eyes, but soon he'll get bored and dump you like all the other girls he's dated before you."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No, I don't need to threaten you. I'm just giving you a little prophesy. You will soon be down on your knees. Cursing the day that you meet Draco Malfoy." The girl with the pug face sneered and then went away, leaving a confused Ash whom was trying to hold back laughter.

"What the fuck was that about?" she chuckled and turned to her friends, who where staring after Pansy shaking their heads.

"It's kind off sad..." Blaise sighed and gently shook his head, while the other two just forgot about the incident and went back to talking about Quidditch and other hobbies.

It was Monday. Today, after classes, Quidditch try-outs would be held!

But before that Ash needed to make it through class with out getting any detentions. That was harder then one might imagine. Recently the girl got detention nearly every day, due to the fact that she tended to step into the foot steps of her older cousins - Fred and George.

Ever since she did that little prank on Pansy and Daphne - from now on called Slytherin Sluts - she had remembered how much fun a good little prank could be. Also she started up a business in selling the candy from Skiving Snackbox; after the first load was empty she had taken the money she had made and bought another 20 sets for her 'Favourite-cousin-percentages' and soon the business flourished! Some people came up to her and asked for other types of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes prank items.

Anyway, this little business and her little pranks didn't really amuse the teachers, hence they tried to "make her see the wrong in it" by giving her detentions and taking away points systematically. Wouldn't you have thought that the teachers already learned that it wouldn't help when Fred and George were in school?

So, today she had told herself that she wouldn't get any detentions - hence no business and pranks today... Merlin... this day would be boring!

"Ash!"

"Tracy!"

"Ash!"

"Tracy!"

"Ash!"

"T-"

"Blaise!" Blaise called. "So now that we all know each others names. How about we shut up?"

"Your so boring!" Ash called, but ran over to his side and walked to class with him. Shortly before they reached the door, she turned around again and yelled "Tracy! I'll miss you!" Tracy however just laughed and shook her head, heading towards her own class.

"I don't wanna have Potions!" Ash whined when she couldn't see Tracy any more and passed through the door.

"Oh, come on. It's the last class today and Dracie-poo is here."

"Dracie-poo?"

"Pansy's newest nickname for Draco. Just heard it when I was in charms with the two of them."

"Horrid," Ash shuddered and turned to look into the class room where she already saw Draco sitting on his usual table. "Dracie-Poo!" she squealed, making Draco grimace and turn to look at Ash like she head grown two additional heads.

"Blaise! Why did you tell her?" he asked as he saw Ash burst out laughing.

"It slipped?"

"Sure it did."

Blaise smiled and all of the people in the room turned in front, where Snape just entered the class room.

For the rest of the class they concentrated on what Snape taught them and rushed out, as soon as class was over.

"Time for Quidditch!" she yelled as soon as the professor excused them and turned to look at Draco, grinning.

"So, captain. Where do we have to be when again?"

"In half an hour at the field."

Ash nodded enthusiastically and gave Draco a kiss on his cheek before grabbing Blaise's hand and dragging him out of the class room and towards the common room in record time.

There they meet up with Tracy and together Ash's best friends waited for her to finish changing into her old Quidditch uniform. Next the three of them went to the field, where a small group of people had already gathered.

"Alright have fun, my love. We'll be watching you from the bleachers," Blaise told her and gave her a small peck on the cheek for good luck.

She watched them make their way towards the bleachers and quickly raced over to the rest of the group.

"Is everybody here?" Draco asked when the chatter stopped and everyone looked at them. "Good. So I want all the idiots that signed up for a seeker position to go away right now and learn how to read! It said on the page that its try-outs for chaser, keeper and beater. I'm the seeker." A murmur of voices erupted and Ash had to hold back laughter as 3 people glared at Draco and ran off the field.

"Now that that's taken care off. Hello everybody. My name is Draco Malfoy and I'm the captain and seeker of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Today we will be searching for the Keeper, Chaser and Beater positions," he said. "I want you all to split up into groups for which position you intend to play. Keepers over there to the right. Chasers over there to the left and Beaters stay standing here." Ash stood still, as did Goyle and Crabbe and a few other butch looking guys.

"Ash, your standing with the beaters," Draco said as if she were a bit stupid.

"I know that. I'm trying out as a beater."

"Your a girl."

"Your point being?"

Draco looked at her pained. "Don't you want to try out for chaser or keeper instead?"

"No, I'm a beater. Don't tell me you don't think I can do a good job, just because I'm a girl... Sexist!" She glared at Draco who heaved a defeated sigh.

"Alright, try it out. But don't come crying to me because you broke your nail."

Ash jaw dropped ten miles when she heard him. "Oh you little twit didn't just say that. I'll show you how much better I am then any of these idiots around me," she spat and crossed her arms.

"Alright, guys we will start with the beater try-outs!" Draco yelled and turned away from her. "Everyone, not trying out for that position, please go to the bleachers." Everyone moved except for the butch people around Ash and herself.

"Broken nails... that little git... I'll show that ass." Ash mumbled to herself and huffed and puffed... but nothing happened.

Again Draco turned around and looked at her disappointed. She was still standing firm. Broom in her hands.

"So, over there in the box are the bats. Everyone take one." When all of them had gotten one Draco cleared his throat and gave them their drill.

One by one they would go into the air and the Bludgers would be released. Then they where supposed to hit them.

"Just hit them?" Ash asked the captain with a snarl.

"Yes, for now just hit them. With out hurting anyone else, nor yourself."

"How about we make it a bit harder," Ash challenged. "How about you give us a target and we hit the target with it."

"That's the next drill. Right now I only want to know if you are even able to hit the bugger."

Ash smirked at him. "If you say so, captain."

One by one they got in the air and a couple of the butch guys already failed that simple drill. Last was Ash. The people on the bleachers and in the field laughed as they saw the petite girl walk forwards, but she ignored them. Confidently she swung herself up on the broom and shot into the air, signalling Draco that he could release the Bludger. Reluctantly he did and it shot straight at her.

Smirking she changed her position on the broom and with only one hand she smashed the bat against the attacking iron ball, hitting it straight towards Draco, where it landed right in front of Draco's feet inside the box that had been holding it just a minute ago.

Everything was quiet for a second, but then Tracy and Blaise erupted into cheers on the bleachers. Ash smiled at them and quietly flew towards the ground again.

"Not a single scratch on my nails," she told Draco waving her hands in front of his face when her feet touched the ground.

For the rest of the beater try-outs Ash continued her winning streak. Smugly hitting the Bludger and landing it wherever she was told to put it. If she didn't get a destination she challengingly placed it in front of Dracos feet. She was better then anyone else. Stronger then anyone would and could have guessed.

"OK, everyone. Beater try-outs are over. I'll give you the results after the rest of the try-outs." Draco told them and sent them of the field, calling the chasers up next.

"Wow, you were awesome!" Tracy beamed at her, when she reached her friends.

"I know," Ash smirked and started watching the chasers compete. There were some pretty good ones on the field. "I just hope Draco wont make an mistake," she added quietly after a few minutes.

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn't want me to be a beater. He knows I'm better then the others. But a girl as beater? He's to conservative to just let me be in the team, in a position that he doesn't see fit for girls," she growled and looked at the others that tried out for the position. "He'll probably take Crabbe and Goyle again. They where better them I would have given them credit for. Although that Orion guy, isn't to bad either. A bit lean, not as butch as the typical beaters, yet strong, fast and his aim was really good as well. He'd be quite stupid not to take him. But if Draco doesn't take me, he wont be picked either."

"What do you mean?"

"The Goons, Orion and me are the only ones suitable for the position. The others are all crap. But mixing us up, wouldn't work. It's either the Goons or us two."

"I see..."

Orion looked over to them and smiled sadly. He had reached the same conclusion as her. Sighing, she smiled back at him and waved him over.

When he reached them, Ash motioned him to sit next to her. "What do you think?"

"Crabbe and Goyle will make it."

Ash nodded. "Asshole," she muttered and glared down at Draco, who was distracted by the chasers trying to shoot through the goals.

Orion laughed. "Don't blame him, every captain would have chosen that way."

"Guys, you are depressing. Draco didn't decide anything yet!" Tracy told them with a slap over the head.

"You're right." Ash smiled up at her while holding her head. That girl was also stronger then she would have guessed. "We'll just have to hope... I guess."

For the rest of the practice the four of them kept quiet and watched the others make fools and heroes out of themselves. First the Chasers, then the Keepers. By both of them he told told them right away who had made the team and who hasn't. Two female Chasers, Christina Donot and Isabel Breaker and a male Chaser named Graham Montague. The Keeper was a lean guy that listened to the name of Sean Bole.

The sun was already setting when everything came to an end. Once he told Bole that he'd be the keeper, he motioned for the Beaters to come down on the field, together with the team Chasers.

"Alright guys. It was a hard decision to decide between you guys, but in the end we want to win the school cup, hence I chose the ones that I think will fit best into the team and will help us win this cup. And just for your reference, I made up my mind, and no argument in the world will change that decision. Am I clear?" he asked and looked pointedly at Ash, who already looked ready to argue. She nodded grudgingly.

"Our new beaters are..." Draco tortured them with a long pause. "Chase Orion and Ash Weasley," he sighed, not really believing himself. He actually wanted to say Crabbe and Goyle... but Ash and that Orion guy really had been better... no chance in denying that.

Ash and Orion looked at Draco shocked. They had really believed that he'd take the other two. When the decision sank through to them they looked at each other and hugged. "We did it!" Ash said breathless, Orion nodded and picked her up with his hug. Laughing he set her down again and let her go, so she could jump towards Draco and hug him as well.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly and graced him with her best smile.

For a second he smiled at her as well, but then turned into the Slytherin Quidditch teams captain again. "Right here, you can see the Slytherin Quidditch team of 1998. Say hello to your new team mates, because from now one you will spend a lot of time together and together we will win this years Qudditch Cup!" Draco said, and yelled when he reached the part about the winning. Cheers erupted around them and together they made their way to the common room where they got greeted by a celebration.


	20. Chapter 19 - Intermission II

Ever since Ash was chosen to be on the Quidditch team, things seemed to be working out for her better then they had before.

Sure, she didn't have quite as much time on her hand as she could have wished, - especially with the involuntary detentions she still received - but still she managed. They had Qudditch practice three times a week. Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings. On the days when they didn't have training Ash meet up with Chase for an hour and together they did some weight training - the more strength they had in their arms, the better they could protect and attack the others.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays where her extra-curricular courses where she always went after the weight training.

Once all of it was over she meet up with Tracy and Blaise, did her homework and joked around.

"Your doing way too much!" Tracy had complained at one point.

"You know I have to do it."

"Yeah.. but you could at least drop the Ghoul Studies. Who needs that anyway?"

"It's interesting!"

"Sure it is..." Tracy shrugged.

"Go there with me!" Ash suggested.

"To Ghoul Studies? Oh no, no chance of getting me there."

"Well then what about the other classes... Music?"

"I can't sing. Nor can I play any instruments."

Ash pouted, "How about you Blaise?"

"Me go to classes outside of the ones I already need to do? Nope."

"You guys are boring!" Ash sighed and sat back against the couches.

"Nope, your the boring one. Blaise and I have loads of fun, while you hang around in shabby old classrooms."

"Music isn't a class where you have to learn for. You just go in there and have fun while singing! Believe me it is a lot of fun! But if you don't want to come, I can't force you," suddenly her expression changed into that of sadness and despair while she continued. "I mean... I understand why you guys wouldn't want to spend time with me. I'm such a bad and useless friend to you..." she whispered and pretended to wipe away a tear.

Blaise and Tracy stared at her, jaw set and eyes narrowed. "You suck, you know that?" Blaise asked her defeated. Ash grinned at them. "So, when will be able to join you?"

"I was thinking next week. Because of the match this Friday Draco intensified the training. Can't even make all of my classes."

"Yeah... that sounds like Draco. By the way how are things going with him?"

Ash laughed. "It's going good. Only problem is that we have so much to do, that we don't always find time that we could just hang out" and when she saw that Tracy was about to argue that he was always with them, she added "the two of us, alone." Understanding came to her face. "But we decided that on Saturday we'd go to Hogsmeade together." Ash grinned and her friends smiled.

"Somebody is in love," Tracy sang and jumped up and down on her seat, while Ash turn a light shade of pink.

"No I'm not."

"Come on, little girl, don't lie to me!"

"I'm not."

Tracy looked at her sceptical.

"It more of a really, really, really like."

Tracy and Blaise laughed at her. "Whatever you say, my dear. Whatever you say."

"Idiots!" Ash stated while Chase and Draco made their way over to the laughing group on the couch. Seeing her fellow beater - two years her junior - first, she jumped up and hugged him. In the last month she had declared him to be her little brother and she already loved him to bits. Spending at least an hour of you time together every day, really did bring people close.

Then she turned to look at Draco with a cheeky smile. "Hey, Malfoy."

"Weasley," he answered with a smirk.

Slowly she walked over to him. "Can I help you in _any_ way?"

"You can help me in a lot of ways. But the premises aren't the most suitable for what I had in mind," he whispered into her ear.

Ash laughed and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning around and pulling him towards the couches, where their friends where sitting.

"You ready for the big match on Friday?" he asked her once they sat down and Ash had leaned her head against his chest.

She just smiled and looked up at him. "Stupid question. After all the training you've made us go through, there's no chance of not being ready," Chase stated, while brushing his longish black hair away to reveal two ocean blue eyes.

"Good, because Ravenclaw is a hard opponent. Their strategy players."

"Don't worry Draco. Give Chase and me five minutes into the game, we'll have figured all their top players and with a little help from our friends the Bludgers, they won't give us any more trouble," Ash smirked and Draco pulled her closer to him.

"Can't wait to see you in action," he whispered, and moved his hand a bit too high, earning a slap on his hand.

"Pervert," Ash laughed when he pulled his hand away and pouted.

"No fun," he grumbled into her hair.


	21. Chapter 20 - Ravenclaw vs Slytherin

Everywhere around the school a buzz of excitement filled the air. There were only 6 games a year and the people couldn't wait for the season to finally start. Even the teachers were excited, Ash noticed. Flitwick had even painted his face in blue and silver, to match his house colours.

Another thing Ash had noticed was that most people where wearing the Ravenclaw colours. Only specks of green could be seen spread around the Great Hall - with the exception of the Slytherin table which was a sea of green.

"Wow... Slytherin really isn't loved," she stated while they walked towards their table.

"Does it surprise you?" Blaise asked and Ash shook her head.

"Not really," she grinned. Nothing could ruin her good mood this morning.

"Today is the big day," Ash sang while walking up to the rest of the team with Tracy and Blaise, giving Draco a kiss on the cheek when she sat down next to him. She couldn't hold back her excitement as she watched the other players play with their food. "Why are you all looking as if you where eaten and spit out again?" Ash asked concerned.

"Anxiety?" Chase suggested while flicking his eggs.

Ash pouted. "Come on guys! Its a game! After one month of hell, we are finally able to show of our skills and kick Ravenclaws ass!"

A couple of the players looked up at her and smiled, "yeah, your right!" some mumbled and started actually shoving the food into their mouth, instead of pushing it around their plate.

"Oi, Weasley! How are you feeling?" Parkinson asked when they passed the team.

Surprised Ash looked up at her. "I'm feeling good, thank you," she smiled while Pansy sneered.

"Well, you better not embarrass our house, we all know that you're nothing. We all know that the only reason you managed to get into the team is because the Draco was scared that he wouldn't get into your pants any more if he didn't choose you," she glared.

Mouth ajar Ash watched as Pansy walk away with Daphne and some wannabe fifth years that thought they were oh-so-cool hanging out with Pansy Parkinson. Slowly she turned to look at the others, who stared at Pansy's back just like she had. "Wow," she said before she started laughing. Her team mates looked at her as if she were a freak. "I know that I'm good. Why should I let the bimbo tell me otherwise. I'll show her why Draco picked me to be a beater," she grinned at them - Nothing could ruin her good mood today.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to have assembled in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. And Ash muttered, "holy shit" when she noticed that even more people where running up from the castle. Quickly she went into the changing rooms and changed into her emerald green and silver Quidditch robes.

Draco cleared his throat for silence. "Alright guys. This is it. Our first game as a team, representing Slytherin. Our goal is to win, so do everything you see fit in order to win. If it happens to be something frowned upon, don't let yourself be caught. Understood?"

Everyone nodded except for Ash. "Just don't do anything frowned upon," she said with a frown. "That way you can't be seen. We've trained hard and we're good. We can beat these know-it-alls without illegal moves!"

The team looked at her and then back at Draco who sighed at the glare he was getting from his girlfriend. "Win," he said and then started walking out of the changing room and out onto the field, where they were greeted with loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was the referee. She was waiting for the two teams to join in the middle of the pitch. "Now, I want a fair game, all of you," she said looking pointedly at the Slytherin team, once they had gathered around her.

"Mount your brooms." All the players did as told and got ready to launch themselves into the air after the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch gave a blast with her silver whistle.

"And the game begins!" A voice shouted over the loudspeakers as the two teams pushed of the ground and 15 brooms rose up high into the air. Ash recognized the voice as Amelia Hawthorn's, a third year Ravenclaw girl that she knew from her extra-curricular music classes. 'I guess she took over Jordan's part,' she thought while scanning the field for the Bludgers and watching the Ravenclaw teams miserable try of stealing the Quaffle from their Chaser Donot.

"Donot has snatched the Quaffle and is racing towards the Ravenclaw goals. But there comes Langley. Will he be able to steal the Quaffle from the Slytherin Chaser?" At the same moment that Amelia commented on Langley, Ash saw one of the Bludgers only a few meters away from her and with all her strength she hit the iron ball into the direction of Langley, hitting his broom just as he was about to hit the Quaffle out of the Slytherins grasp.

"What was that? Weasley hit Langley's broom with the Bludger to allow her team mate to get away and pass the Quaffle to Montague. He flys towards the hoops, zigzagging his way to confuse Ravenclaws Keeper Donaugh and sends the Quaffle into the left hoop. 10 points for Slytherin."

1/4 of the crowd cheered. The others watched with contempt.

The game continued. "Alicia Emmet has caught the Quaffle and is belting through the Slytherin defense - pass to Howard Cantop, Ravenclaw if quickly flying towards the hoops - back to Emmet - Emmet shoots - No! Slytherin Keeper Sean Bole caught the Quaffle." Amelia yells with despair and while Bole sends the Quaffle flying towards Isabel Breaker.

"Isabel Breaker dashing over the field with the Quaffle in her hands - quick pass towards Montague, but nicely intercepted by Cantop - Cantop changing directions back to the Slytherin Hoops - OUCH - his arm is hit by the Bludger, that must have hurt - he lets the Quaffle fall and it is caught by Weasley? who quickly passes it to Breaker. Now that's new. I never saw a beater catching a Quaffle before. - Breaker speeds through the Ravenclaw team and is about to sco - no - Donaugh saves it with an excellent move, while the Slytherin beater Chase Orion saves Breaker from a deadly Bludger sent from Duncan Inglebee. - Distracted by the Bludger the Slytherins fail to notice that the Quaffle is now speeding towards their goals in the arms of Jayson Langley - Langley dodges a speeding Bludger - goal posts ahead - Bole dives to catch it - misses - RAVENCLAW SCORES - 10 POINTS FOR RAVENCLAW!"

3/4 of the crowd cheer. Ash flies over to Chase. "This is staring to annoy me," she states.

"What?"

"That everyone here seems to be for Ravenclaw."

"Get used to it. It'll be like that for all games."

Ash grimaced and stuck out her tongue when she saw a Bludger racing towards the audience. Quickly she dashed after it, while checking out the situation. Langley was trying to snatch the Quaffle again briskly she dashed pass the Bludger and hit it towards Langley, only this time not aiming for his broom but head.

_'Score!_' she thought when the Bludger hit her flying target on the back of the head making him lose his balance on his broom. Not having anticipated him falling of the broom, Ash quickly raced over to the falling body and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Don't let go of the broom if you can't keep your balance douche bag," she yelled and set him off on the ground.

"What were you doing?" Draco yelled at her, when she was flew past him.

"I caught him. Can't have dead person ruining our game now can we?" she shot back. "You concentrate on finding that snitch before the other seeker does." They sneered at each other before Ash had to rush off again to save Bole from a Bludger in the stomach.

Fed up, she called out to Chase. "Alright I've had enough. We're gonna turn it up a notch," she told him. "Go for every Bludger you can find and hit those Ravenclaws with all your might. It's time to be merciless." Chase nodded at her and raced off.

"Weasley and Chase seem to have started war against the Ravenclaw players," Amelia yelled and jumped up from her seat. "One Bludger after the other is sent towards the team members of the Ravenclaw team - their own beaters not able to keep up with the attacks. - Langley gets hit and lets the Quaffle fall - Donot catches it and speeds towards the hoops, where Donaugh is distracted by Bludger hitting him in the stomach. Donot throws and scores. Slytherin gains another 10 points."

"Cantop get the Quaffle - OUCH - hit by an Bludger in the back - Breaker steals the falling Quaffle - throws - again the Slytherins score... Is it even legal for the beaters to go on an all out war?"

All around the pitch "Boo"s could be heard as the Slytherins scored. Ash raced over to Draco and grinned. "See we can win without going into the illegals."

Draco just shook his head on her when he saw a Bludger racing for Ash. "Ash! Watch out" Draco cried quickly Ash shot around and attached her bat with the Bludger before it could connect with her face. It shot towards the Ravenclaw seeker who accidentally got in the way and soon hung up side down from his broom.

"Lucky!" Ash squealed and grinned at Draco. "Thanks for the warning"

"Any time," Draco said and went back to his position above the other players, searching for the snitch.

Silently she looked around again to see if she was needed somewhere and saw that Ravenclaw managed to score.

"SCORE FOR RAVENCLAW!" Amelia shouted and changed the points to 30:20 for Slytherin.

"Isy!" Ash yelled as one of the chasers rushed past her. "Do the German technique I showed you!" Isy looked at Ash and nodded signalling the new strategy to the others.

"Montague has the Quaffle - kicks it hard to Breaker, who weaves in and out of the opponents - she throws back to Montague - he stops while the Ravenclaw team rushes past him - the Ravenclaw chasers turn while Montague throws the Quaffle to Donot who leaps into the air and scores! Breaker catches it and drop kicks it back towards Montague - Montague jumps from his broom - HEADBUTTS it into the hoop! Another 10 points for Slytherin! The score is now 50:20 for Slytherin." Amelia shouts into the loudspeaker in front of her.

Ash clapped for the chasers who have finally perfected the move she had shown them. The Ravenclaws stared at the chasers in awe.

"Since when did Slytherin become this good at team play and strategy?" Ash heard one of the Ravenclaws curse while they shot towards the Quaffle in the hope of getting it before the Slytherins could have another shot at the goals.

Ash grinned and went back to do her job of hitting their opponents mercilessly with the Bludgers and protecting her team from the opponents Bludgers.

After 6 more goals - 4 Slytherin and 2 Ravenclaw - Ash saw how Draco dived through the play grounds, following a golden shimmer. Swiftly she searched for the opposing Seeker and tried to take him out with a Bludger that was flying at her. She hit and the seeker was sent flying off his broom.

While she raced to catch the falling body - again. She saw that Draco had caught the snitch and was holding it high for everyone to see.

Applause erupted from the stands as Amelia shouted out their victory. "DRACO MALFOY CAUGHT THE SNITCH! SLYTHERIN WINS THIS MATCH WITH 240 POINTS."

Swiftly she caught the Seeker that she had swept off his broom and threw him to one of his approaching team mates, before she raced over to Draco - knocking him of his broom onto the grass when she hugged him while still moving. Celebrating her team mates gathered round them as she kissed Draco roughly but filled with longing. When they broke apart Ash grinned down at him and said, "We did it."


	22. Chapter 21 - The Bet

It was time to celebrate victory.

After the devastating loss by Ravenclaw and the grand win by Slytherin, the Slytherins couldn't stop themselves from celebrating opulently and rub the loss into the face of the Ravenclaws. Ash thought that they could actually be nicer to them, their opponents where pretty good losers. Actually congratulating them on the win and thanking her for catching both Langley and their seeker... but Slytherins, it turned out, are really bad winners that like to make everyone know about their superiority - not that she really minded.

Once the players had changed back to their original clothing and raced out of the changing rooms, they were greeted by an celebrating Slytherin crowed that threw them up into the air and carried them to the Great Hall, where they would eat lunch before the real celebrations started in the evenings.

"Ash! You were awesome!" she heard somebody yell at her. Quickly she turned around to see a few second years grin up at her. She smiled back at them and nodded her head acknowledging them.

"Draco, we love you!" some female Slytherins swooned, while others where declaring their love for Chase and the other players.

They were allowed to walk again when the crowed reached the already filled Great Hall.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat an elephant!" Ash cried as she and Chase dashed over to the places that Blaise and Tracy had reserved for the team.

When she sat down next to her friends she was pulled into deathly hugs by Tracy and Blaise before they allowed her to eat.

"I'm so hyped up right now!" Ash screamed with a grin tearing her face in two. "I could play another game right here and now! GRYFFINDOR COME! WE'LL KICK YOU ASS AS WELL!" she laughed loudly, turning to the Gryffindor table and staring at Harry.

He just smiled and shouted back, "NO CHANCE YOU LOSERS! YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO BEAT US!"

Ash's grin grew even wider. "WANNA BET, SCARFACE?" she said jokingly - and thankfully Harry saw his nickname in her mouth not as a real insult.

"SURE THING, GINGERBREAD! WHAT YOU WANNA BET ON?"

"I BET WE'LL SWOOP YOU ASS IN THE NEXT GAME ON... ON... ON YOUR HAIR!"

Harry looked at her confused. "IF WE WIN I DON'T WANNA SEE A SINGLE HAIR ON THAT BODY OF YOURS... AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT HAIR IS GONE YOU'LL HAVE TO RUN THROUGH THE SCHOOL NAKED!" she yelled back at him.

"YOU'LL DO IT IF YOU LOSE?"

"SURE I WILL."

Harry grinned at her. "IT'S A DEAL."

"CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR NAKED ASS RUNNING THROUGH THE GREAT HALL!" Ash yelled back and blew him a kiss, before turning around to stuff her face with food.

Everyone on the table was looking at her. "What the fuck?" Tracy said after a while.

"What?" Ash looked at her.

"Why did you do that?"

"Well... it was a spur of the moment idea. And I'm sure it'll motivate us to win against those weirdos," Ash grinned and then turned to look at a fuming Draco. "Draco would kill them if I had to shave off all my hair and then run through the school naked, only because we lost, isn't that right?"

"Why the hell did you agree to that?" he fumed

"I didn't agree to it, it was my idea," she corrected her angry boyfriend before leaning up to him and giving him a small peck on the lips. "See it as a bit of extra motivation."

"To win or to lose?" he asked when he calmed down a bit.

"To win of course! You pervert." She hit his arm playfully and kissed Draco again. _Does he even know, how addicting those lips are?_ she thought quietly to herself as she pulled away from him again.

She jerked when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Surprised she turned around, it was Ron and Ginny.

"Hey!" Ash beamed at a tomato red Ron and a giggling Ginny.

"We came over to congratulate you," Ginny said while hugging her cousin, "I've never seen a beater like you! Actually catching the Quaffle yourself! I have an awesome cousin!" she bragged and tightened the hug before letting go.

"But what's with that bet? Don't see any naked boys in Slytherin? And here I thought you already have a boyfriend."

"Oh Ginny, you know that I was only thinking of you when I added that nudity!" she laughed making Ginny turn into the same colour as Ron had when he saw Ash kissing Draco.

"What about you? Also here to say something?" she asked the silent Ron.

He smiled at her. "Congratulations," he said pulling her into a hug and kissing her cheek. "But that bet is bloody stupid. I don't wanna see a naked Ash running around at school!" he smirked.

Ash smiled back at him smugly, "Well it's easy to avoid. Just let in the Quaffles, Ron."

Ron crocked an eyebrow at her. "When hell freezes over."

Ash shrugged. "It's not like we really need that help any ways."

They hugged each other one last time before Ash was pulled to the common room - where the celebration party started a bit earlier then planned - and Ron and Ginny went back to the Gryffindor table.

Music was blasting through the air and the common room was crowded with the amount of people that where in there at the same time. Drinks were handed out to everyone - drinks containing alcohol to the kids from 4th year upwards - and dancing, singing and having a blast, celebrating their victory over their Quidditch team. It was only 5 o'clock in the afternoon, but most people in the common room ... where feeling _very_ happy. Ash felt sorry for those who had volunteered to be the watchers - hence staying sober - for this party.

Ash was on the dance floor, grinding to the beat of the music with Draco, when she saw Pansy stare at them with despair.

Sighing she turned to look at Draco. "She's starring again."

"Who is?" he asked looking around and pulling Ash closer to him.

"Pansy."

Draco rolled his eyes and looked at Pansy. Then he put his fingers under his girlfriends chin and kissed her passionately. When they broke apart Draco opened his eyes again and looked at Pansy - who was now on the verge of tears - provocatively.

Ash shook her head when she saw it. "Your an ass, you know that?" she whispered into his ear making Draco smirk with a shiver.

"I know. And I know something else as well."

"And what may that be?"

"That you're loving it."

Ash laughed and moved her body closer to his, "still remember the first time we danced?"

"Course I do, I cursed you all night long for pushing me away, when it was about to get fun."

Ash chuckled, "I believe you had enough fun that night, even without me."

"Not as much fun as I would have had with you, my love," he said before pulling her into a longing kiss, his tongue sliding over her lips, asking for permission to enter. She granted him the permission gladly, opening her mouth so his tongue could roam her mouth.

After a couple of minutes they pulled away from each other due to a slight lack of oxygen and stared into each others eyes. Draco leaned down again and this time attached his full lips to her neck, while his hands started sliding down her back - aggravatingly slowly.

She enjoyed the feeling of his touch, his kiss ... she let out a low moan when he found her soft spot.

Silently she pushed him away, earning a confused glance, before she took his hand and smiled at him knowingly.

His face lit up and quickly he placed a butterfly kiss on her lips and pulled her after him, heading for the dorms...


	23. Chapter 22 - When Two Become One NC17

* * * DISCLAIMER * * *  
This chapter contains scenes that should not be read by people under 17!  
I warned you.

You wont _really_ miss anything important if you don't read it.

Ash and Draco stalked towards the dorms quickly. Eyeing each other hungrily. Lips connecting every five seconds - the physical need too strong to keep apart. One pair of hands holding each other while the other hands can't be stopped from running across the others feature.

Finally they reach the dorm rooms and for a second they stand, unsure which door to go through. Draco quickly pulls her through the boys door and leads her towards the door at the end of the hallway with his name on it. They ignore the portrays that are screaming at them.

"Draco," Ash moans as they reach the door and he pushes her inside. Lips connecting again, hands tangling into hair. Her skin screaming for the blond boy in her arms, while Draco shifts allowing their bodies to move even closer, he's staring up at her hungry.

"Ash... I want you," he murmurs into her neck as her hands ran down his back and stay put on his ass pulling him towards her, showing him through her actions that she wanted him as well.

They stumble towards the bed Draco had claimed as his. Ash's calves hit the mattress. Draco pushes her down onto the bed and climbs on top of her. Hip hitting hip, Ash could feel his erection through his pants.

Slightly distracted Ash searches their bodies for a wand. They didn't want to be disturbed now, do they?

Finally she found one and softly murmured "silencio" at the bed - making it soundproof - and closed the curtains around her with another flick of the wand, while Draco hands moved across her body and slipped one of his hands under her shirt.

Gasping when his hands brushed over her breast, Ash discarded the wand she was holding in her hands and tangled them in his hair, pulling him into another heated kiss.

When they pull away for air, Draco quickly pulls her into a sitting position and rips off her shirt, placing butterfly kisses across her collarbone while his hands try to pry apart the bra that still cups her full breasts.

Giggling Ash stops his hands and opens the bra herself, giving Draco time to lean back and smile when she reveals her now naked upper body.

Attaching her own lips with his neck, Ash started to undress the boy in front of her. First she pulled his shirt over his head, her lips only leaving his body for the second that it took the shirt to pass.

Forcing him to lie down she straddled his frame and aggravatingly slowly, kissed down his bare skin, while prying off his tightening pants and tugging down his boxers. Quickly he kicked them off and rolled them over, stealing back the dominance.

Swiftly he whisked of her pants and harshly pulled down her underwear, his hands lingering between her legs, drifting down to her thighs where they grabbed onto her soft flesh.

Draco pushed himself inside her, taking her by surprise - foreplay over. Ash swore loudly, but quickly wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him in deeper. Their lips crash together. Her nails dragging up and down his back, no doubt leaving marks. Draco hisses into their kiss as his hips move back and forth, each movement making her body jolt with a physical excitement and need.

With every second his thrusts get faster, harder, rougher - making Ash lose control and giving herself into the pleasure she hadn't experienced in such a long time. She gasp as all the breath, energy and thoughts fled her body when Draco changed speed again, moving his hips back and forth against hers faster and rougher than her body could possibly cope with. Her mind was blank as she closed her eyes and just felt.

Draco murmurs something into her collarbone that she can't distinguish, but she soon realizes what he said when her back involuntarily arches and Draco loudly moans - eyes closed, coming - making Ash scream with pleasure.

Moaning with every breath their chests rose and fell against each other.

Slowly he pulls out off her, making her emit a low sigh of displeasure, as she squirmed and digged her nails into the sheets beneath her, trapped in the post-orgasm haze.

Draco falls next to her, out of breath. Both are covered in a thin sheen of sweat, their lips swollen and their eyes shining.

"Fuck." He breathes and Ash turned to look at him, out of breath and void of energy. He's grinning.

"Yep," she breaths back, trying to contain her smile when she looks the boy next to her up and down again.

"Wanna do it again?" she smirked, rolling on top Draco straddling him.

He looks her up and down, a smirk forming on his beautiful face, his eyes linger on their hips, her breasts, her lips... quickly he looks up into her eyes and then back at her swollen red lips and sat up, attaching his own lips with hers, "fuck yes."


	24. Chapter 23 - The Promise

When morning arrived Ash woke up, her head in Draco's naked chest while his two strong arms where wrapped around her body. She could still feel the sweat and sex on their body as she smiled at the memories of the last night.

Silently she watched Draco breath calmly in his sleep, his chest rising up and down.

Slowly she pried of his arms and started searching for her discarded clothes. Finding them she quickly, she pulled them on.

Trying not to wake him, she slipped out off his bed and hoped that she could vanish out of the room without waking anyone. No such luck.

"Ash?" she heard a sleepy voice whisper, as soon as her feet met the floor. She looked around and saw Draco eyeing her, eyes still half closed due to sleep.

"Morning love," she whispered.

"What are you doing?"

"Gotta get ready for our Hogsmeade date."

"I've got a better idea. How about we stay here and have a little more fun?"

Ash giggled as Draco's hands snaked around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed with him while pulling the curtains close again. "No chance," she laughed and turned to look into his eyes. "I'm hungry and I want some food."

Draco rolled his eyes and let go of the girl in his arms. "Alright, lets get ready, I'll meet you in the common room in an hour?" he asked defeated, while Ash grinned at him and carefully placed a kiss on his lips.

"See you in an hour." she said and slipped of the bed walking towards the room door. When it suddenly opened revealing Blaise.

Shocked Blaise looked at her. "Hey..."

"Morning," Ash blushed. _Busted_ she thought slyly.

"So that where you left to yesterday..." he stated flatly and shook his head. "Uh, bad image, get out of my brain," he mumbled to himself while shaking his head violently making Ash laugh.

"And you always say that I need to grow up!"

"Oh, get a life!"

"I've got one," she smirked and silently placed a kiss on Blaise's cheek before leaving the room to get changed.

"What is it with you two?" Draco glared, once the door closed behind the blond.

Blaise who had been staring after her turned to look at his best guy friend. "What do you mean?"

"You two always being so touchy and all. She's mine."

"Merlin Draco, we're only friends!"

"Sure you are," Draco's eyes screamed murder before they looked at Blaise mockingly. "You know, she loves me. She'll never love you and your sorry ass."

Blaise jaw set as he glared at the naked boy with sex hair. "Draco... Ash and I are only friends. I don't understand what you are trying to say," he chanted.

"Keep on telling yourself just that. Because _friends_ is all you'll ever be," Draco mocked. "I see how you look at her. I see how hurt you look when I touch her in a way that you will never be allowed to touch her. I see it all."

Blaise kept staring at Draco as if he'd lost his mind. The dark skinned boy turned away from his friend and walked out of the room again, forgetting whatever he had come in to get. Draco smirked knowing that somewhere deep inside him, Blaise knew that the blond boy had struck a nerve.

All the while Ash sneaked back into her own dorm and was about to enter the bathroom when the curtains on one of the beds were ripped open, revealing a grinning black haired girl.

"Where have you been all night, young lady?" she asked with a knowing voice. Her grin broadening when Ash blushed every shade of red that existed.

"Um..."

"Oh bloody Merlin... you really were with Draco."

Seeing as there was no chance of denying it Ash slowly nodded, a grin starting to spread over her face. Tracy squealed and patted the bed beside her. Ash obeyed the command and jumped onto the bed next to Tracy.

"You've got to tell me _everything_!"

"I don't know what to say. We went to his room and had sex. About five times," she said the grin on her face growing broader by the second.

Tracy looked at her shocked. "five times? Gosh you guys have energy... and how was it?"

Ash's eyes sparkled. "Awesome. In his case I guess the saying 'Practice makes perfect' fits," she laughed. She didn't kid herself that he didn't have a lot of practice before her. But that was alright. She wasn't Virgin Marie either.

Tracy bombarded her with a few more questions before she let Ash finally take a shower, in order to get ready for the date she was about to have with the boy she had just spend the night with.

As soon as Ash came back into the room Tracy had new questions that needed answering. "How was the morning after?"

Ash looked at her. "Alright I guess... I woke up, watched him sleep a bit more and then got dressed. Right as I wanted to leave he woke up and I convinced him to go to Hogsmeade, instead of staying in bed today... Oh, at the moment that I wanted to go, Blaise actually came into the room. That was a bit awkward," Ash shrugged, not noticing that Tracy's lips thinned a bit.

"What did he say?"

"Um, not much. Just joked that that was a bad picture that he needed to banish from his mind," Ash laughed when she remembered Blaise shaking his head. "Oh well, I've gotta go now! I'll see you and Blaise later, OK?"

Tracy smiled at her and nodded. "Yeah, see you later." And while Ash skipped out of the room, Tracy slowly got up and went to look for Blaise.

She found him sitting on their usual spot in front of the lake window.

"Hey," she whispered quietly.

He looked up at her surprised and smiled - Tracy however noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. "Hey."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"You know what fine means right?" Tracy chuckled making Blaise chuckle while nodding at their groups inside joke.

Silence spread between the two of them. "I'm happy for them," Blaise suddenly broke the silence. "They look happy together," he stated staring out into the green water.

"Yeah, I think they are."

"I don't know what's wrong with me."

Tracy looked at him shocked, "nothings wrong with you"

He shook his head, "I mean I'm really happy for the two of them, they're my best friends and they're happy together... but I just can't get rid of this feeling... it sucks."

"I know that jealousy is a bitch. But you can't let it over run you."

"But I can't tell her, either."

"No you can't," Tracy agreed, "not yet anyway"

Blaise sighed, "Draco said that he knows how I feel about her." Tracy looked up at him. "Is it really that obvious?"

Tracy laughed, "Yeah it is. But she's absolutely oblivious."

Blaise laughed as well and shook his head and smirked. "Damn. I feel like a girl now. No good. Lets go and do something," he said turning back to his usual self.

When Draco appeared in the common room Ash was already waiting for him. After a short kiss they joined hands and started making their way towards the carriages.

Walking up to them, Ash stopped for a second to look at the dark horses that pulled them, Thestrals. A wave of sadness flooded her, like every time she saw these magnificent beasts. It reminded her of the reason why she was able to see them, the death of her parents.

"I don't think they should keep using Thestrals as carriage horses," she stated when Draco came to a stop next to her.

Draco looked at her confused. "Why's that?"

"Whoever can see them, is reminded of the time that they saw someone die... isn't that sad?"

"I guess so... You can see them?"

"Yeah..." she answered but didn't say anything else. Up to this time, she had only told Blaise about her past and she wanted to keep it that way. Sensing that she didn't want to talk about it, Draco didn't ask any further questions.

"You know that you can tell me everything, right?" Ash smiled up at the blond teen holding her hand and nodded but she didn't utter a word.

Quietly they went into one of the carriages and drove down to Hogsmeade.

Their first stop was the Three Broomsticks, where they got something to eat and drink, before walking through the small town, towards the forest.

"You know... you never talk about your life back in Germany."

Ash tensed a bit, "yeah..."

"Tell me about it!"

"Well... I don't really know what there is to tell, I'm in England now. I don't want to live in the past, but in the present."

Draco frowned at her, "what do you mean?"

"Before I came here, I lived in the past. I couldn't forget and forgive, but since I'm here I decided that its a start of a new life, no need to think back."

"I don't know. I like thinking back. Life was easier then."

"Was it? Really? Or did we just not notice the horrors around us?"

Draco smiled. "Its still nice to remember the sorrow free life before school."

Ash looked at him and smiled at his peaceful face as he remembered a happy memory from his past. "Yeah, life before school was bliss," she said while remembering the first time she and her parents had gone to the park together in winter and had an gigantic snowball fight. Life truly was bliss back then. The smiles, the laughter, the fun... "But school changes things."

"Yeah, school changes things," Draco agreed. They both fell silent.

"Ash... Why did you come to England anyway?"

"Draco, please. I - I can't talk about it right now."

"Will you tell me at one point?"

"I will."

"Promise?"

Ash raised an eyebrow and looked at him, he was still looking straight ahead. Did she really want to tell him about her past? About her friends who would never remember her? About the horrors she saw before she came to England? About why Patrick had attacked them? ... Yes, she would. He deserved to know. Especially because he never rushed her to explain, never asked who the person that made them go through the torment really was. "Promise," she smiled.

Finally they reached the edge of the forest and like they did the other times they had come here, they transformed into their animal forms - Draco wrapping himself around his girlfriends waist - and dashed through the thicket and onto the lonesome clearing at the cliff that they had spend the end of their first date.

The beautiful view still made them gasp, when they reached the edge. Unlike the first time though, they didn't change back right away, but stayed in their animal forms. Lying down next to each other on the warm stone and watching the nature bloom, listening to the birds chirp and the sun wander through the sky.

_Imagine how this will look in spring,_ Draco hissed and moved his head so it was looking at her.

_Magnificent,_ Ash agreed and looked at him again. _Lets come here again when spring is in full bloom. Not before that though._

The yellow snake let out a soft chuckle. _Alright, but then you've got to tell me about your past._

The gray wolf scowled a bit but then nodded her head, _It's a deal_.

The snake shook its head, _Its a promise._

Again a comfortable silence fell over the two as they continued starring over the cliff and onto the panorama sight in front of them.

All of a sudden Draco changed back into his original form and turned to look at the surprised gray wolf with the red streaks. "Ash. Sing something for me."

The wolf coxed her head to one side before changing back to her own human form. "Sing for you?"

"Yes. I want to hear you sing."

Ash blushed, she never actually sung for someone. Of course she had sung in front of other people, even solos and on a stage, but she never actually had someone she ever sung too.

"What do you want to hear?"

"Anything. Just sing the first thing that comes to your mind."

Ash's tongue brushed over her lips. "But there's no music."

Now it was Draco's time to crook his eyebrows at her, "You don't need any."

"Alright... Its a song that I'm learning right now in Muggle Music - I'd sing you one of the songs from Music, but we're doing a little show on Halloween and you'd bore yourself if you'd already know the songs," she said softly with a smile before taking a deep breath and let the lyrics leave her mouth in a magical tune that filled the clearing with wonderful vibrations.

_What makes some one special?  
I suppose it all depends,  
it's what's unique in each of us  
that we all share as friends._

The difference is our differences,  
maybe small or great,  
variety adds spice to life,  
so we should celebrate!

In Harmony, harmony!  
You're you, I'm me,  
together we can live in Harmony!

If there was only one note.  
How boring life would be,  
I'm glad there are so many notes,  
in many different keys!

I hear each voice singing,  
with a special quality,  
and when we sing together,  
we bring music to the sea!

In Harmony, harmony!  
You're you, I'm me,  
together we can live in Harmony!

In Harmony, harmony!  
You're you, I'm me,  
together we can live in Harmony!

In Harmony, harmony!  
You're you, I'm me,  
together we can live in Harmony!

You're you, I'm me,  
together we can live in Harmony!

When the last note escaped her lips, she quickly shut her mouth and looked at Draco expectantly. His eyes where big in wonder as he stared at her, mouth hanging slightly ajar.

"I love you," Draco whispered looking into Ash's emerald green eyes, making her gasp.

Smiling at him, she quietly marvelled at his face and expression while the setting sun tainted his face in a soft red light. Staying silent she leaned up to him and gave him a loving kiss before whispering "I love you too."

Song: In Harmony from Disney's The Little Mermaid

**VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER! What do you think? Please Review!**


	25. Chapter 24 - Halloween Ball

When Draco and Ash came back from their excursion, Tracy nor Blaise could be found anywhere. It confused Ash a bit, but she knew that they'd turn up somewhere soon. And true enough they met them again at dinner in the Great Hall.

"Hey!" Ash yelled when she saw the two of them sitting at the usual seats.

They turned and waved at her to come over to them. "How about we sit somewhere else today, hun?" Ash frowned at Draco.

"Why would we do that? Their our friends."

"Yeah, but I'd like to have you to myself a bit longer," he whispered into her ear, snaking his arm around her and pulling her against him.

Ash giggled, but stayed firm to her decision. "You've already had me all day. I'm sitting with them," she stated and pried loose of him before running up to her best friends squealing in excitement.

"Hey," they said in unison once Ash reached them, a slightly frustrated Draco trailing behind her. "Where have you been all day?"

Ash rolled her eyes. "I told you, I was on a date with Draco in Hogsmeade."

"We were there as well, but we didn't see you anywhere," Blaise said.

Ash smiled, "Well, at one point we changed and ran into the forest a bit."

"Oh, alright then..."

"That's why I couldn't find you anywhere when we came back, huh?"

"Yeah we just came back a few minutes ago and went straight here," Tracy told.

"What did you do?"

"We searched through the shops a bit. You know there's a Halloween Ball this year for all 7th graders. We were looking through Gladrags for costumes!"

"What? You went without me?"

"Haha, I thought you'd say that, therefore we planned on going tomorrow as well. This week so many people need to get costumes and stuff, that the shop is open at Sunday as well," Tracy giggled and pulled Ash into a side hug making her laugh as well.

"You guys are the best!" Ash giggled and glanced over at Draco who was talking to Theodore, she frowned when she saw that, why wasn't he talking to Blaise? She shook her head in annoyance and engaged Blaise in her and Tracy's conversation. "Did you find anything yet?"

He looked up at her surprised, "Well, there were some that looked quite funny. But no, not really."

"Well, tomorrow we'll find something for each of us!" Ash cheered and held up her glass, the other laughed and held up their own glass, knocking it against the first one.

The next day Tracy and Ash meet up with Blaise and Draco in the common room - Draco had decided to come along and look for a costume himself. Together they rushed to the carriages and drive down to Hogsmeade where they hurriedly ran into an already crowded Gladrags Wizardwear shop.

"This is not fun!" Ash whined as they reached the shop and tried to fight themselves through to the hangers.

"I know! I can't believe how many people are in here!" Tracy told her. "Especially because the Party is just for the 7th graders."

"I guess there'll be parties in the common rooms as well though."

Tracy scrunched up her face, "you're right..."

After a few moments the boys snapped. "You guys can go on searching. Blaise and I are going to the Three Brooms," Draco eventually told Ash with a small peck on the lips before leaving the crowded shop with Blaise - both looking really annoyed at the squealing girls.

Only minutes later the two girls followed them - they had seen the line in front of the dressing rooms.

"Well, that was disappointing," Ash muttered when she fell out of the shops door.

"You can scream that out loud," Tracy agreed, shaking her head.

"WELL, THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING!" Ash yelled making Tracy jump.

"I didn't mean that literally!" the black hair hissed in return while Ash held her stomach from laughter.

"You should have seen your face!" she gasped and laughed even more.

Tracy rolled her eyes while opening the door to the Three Brooms, letting the two girls enter the pub. However, when they entered, they saw Draco and Blaise glaring daggers at each other while arguing silently.

"What the hell?" Ash asked concerned before hurrying over to them. "Hey! Stop your bickering! What do you think your doing?"

Both boys looked at her and fell silent. "It's nothing," Blaise said after a few seconds, giving Draco an meaningful glance.

"I don't believe you, but I don't care as long as it wont effect me in the slightest," she stated and let it slip. "Well, the trip was a bit of a disappointment. No change that we'll find a nice costume here."

Everyone stayed quiet for a minute, until Tracy said "Yeah, I agree... we need to find another way to get to costumes."

"Are there any more shops here?"

"Nope, that's the only one that sells costumes."

"Well, that sucks. Do you maybe have the costumes from last year?"

Tracy laughed. "Can't wear those again!"

Ash rolled her eyes but agreed with her any ways. "Any idea?" she asked, this time also turning to look at the boys.

They shook their head no. "You don't reckon that the Room of Requirement has any, do you?" Ash asked softly making Draco's head shoot up.

"Why not? We require costumes... maybe it'll have some in one of its rooms."

"You really think so?" Tracy asked.

"Worth a try, don't you think?"

"Yeah, you right." All of them agreed and quickly paid and returned to Hogwarts.

Once they reached the castle they briskly went to the third floor and Ash started pacing in front of the wall - this time being the one who receives the humoured glances. All of a sudden a small simple door appeared in front of them, inviting them in.

When they entered Tracy and Ash squealed at the sight. "Oh by Merlin's knickers," Ash whispered looking at the gigantic walk in closet that held some of the most beautiful dresses that she ever saw.

"I think I'm in love," Tracy whispered beside her, making Ash laugh.

"Come on, no time to stand here, lets search!" and together they ran into the room, leaving the boys to themselves once again.

"Is it just me... or does this scare you as well?" Blaise asked after a couple of minutes, standing next to Draco in silence.

"It's not just you."

"Just making sure," Blaise nodded and took the first step into the ocean of clothes. Together the boys walked past rows of clothes racks until they came to a section with boy costumes.

While they browsed the only words they heard were the occasional yells of "Tracy! Come over here and look at this dress!", "Ash! I cant decide what's better! Help me!" or "Merlin! I wish I had your figure."

"Draco! Blaise!" Ash yelled after a while.

"Yeah?" they answered in unison.

"Where are you?"

"Over here! Follow my voice!" Draco yelled back until Ash and Tracy appeared. In their hands they dragged a huge pile of costumes. "Did you already find anything?" The boys shrugged.

"I guess," Blaise said looking at Draco who nodded. Both of them held up a costume.

"Let us see!" Tracy squealed - Ash swore she was in a very bad clothing high.

Both guys sighed and started stripping in front of them... not like they'd complain...

The girls watched contently as the boys changed into their newly chosen costumes.

Draco looked amazing in an Elizabethan style men's robe in black, with a light gray west underneath and the Elizabethan style pants.

Ash giggled. "I'm in hope that you will wear a wig as well, monsieur" Draco smirked.

"You like it?"

"Oh yes I do. And maybe I'll actually find a nice dress that will go with it!" she smirked before turning to look at Blaise.

Blaise had chosen to change into an pirates costume, reminding her a bit of that pirate from Treasure Island.. Captain Silver ... only thin and good looking and black and with short hair. Any ways, he looked smoking!

"Wow, Blaise! That really suits you! Sure you aren't a pirate in a wizards disguise?"

Blaise chuckled, "very funny."

"I know," Ash grinned, "but it really does look nice."

"So what did you decide on?" Blaise asked, redirecting the attention back to the girls.

"We need help in deciding!" they answered in unison and laughed.

"Jinks," Ash laughed and Tracy's mouth fell ajar before she glared and looked at Blaise.

"You girls are childish did you know that?" Tracy and Ash grinned and Blaise rolled his eyes. "Tracy, Tracy, Tracy" he muttered releasing Tracy from the 'Jinks'.

Smiling the girls picked up their clothes and dashed behind a clothes rack and started changing.

"Not fair! We changed in front of you!" Draco chuckled loudly, so that the girls could here.

"Yeah, but we aren't perverts who'll jerk off at the image after wards," Tracy giggled.

"Sure you aren't" Blaise said suggestively.

"Ass."

"Bitch."

"Arrogant prick."

"Witch."

"That's an pathetic insult."

"Oh, we were insulting each other? I thought we were stating the obvious."

"Burn!" Ash laughed before stumbling out into side with the first costume on. It was a short black dress with an reddish corset around the waist and long wide sleeves that was rimmed with red, like the bottom of the dress.

"Nice." Draco and Blaise said and Ash frowned.

"Nice?" They nodded.

Ash huffed and turned back around and vanished behind the rack again. "Did we say something wrong?" Draco asked Blaise who shrugged.

"I think she was going for hot or beautiful."

"Oh..."

Next Tracy showed herself. "What do you think?"

"Wow. That really does look awesome on you Trace," Blaise grinned. She was wearing a short black Kimono type dress that was rimmed with turquoise with long hanging sleeves and a flowery pattern. Around her waist was a turquoise belt.

Draco nodded enthusiastically, "You look stunning," he agreed.

Tracy grinned with pride when she heard the boys complimenting her. "Now only one more person to go," she said and sat between the boys waiting for Ash to show herself.

"Thanks Tracy... Why do I have the feeling this'll take a while?"

"No clue," Tracy said while Ash came out with a vampire costume. All three shook their head no.

Again and again she came out from behind the ranks and again and again the costume didn't really fit.

"I give up!" she sighed after a while and glared at all the clothes that lay there discarded.

"No Ash! Look around you! There are so many costumes, we'll find one for you," Tracy said and stood up to search for a costume that would look perfect on her frustrated friend - because perfect is what they were going for.

After a couple of minutes Tracy came hurrying back with a white dress in her hands. "Try this one on," she breathed, throwing the dress at Ash and shoving her behind the rack again.

When Ash came out the jury gasped. Tracy had chosen a short white Elizabethan type of dress that reminded Ash of a short version of a dress Marie Antoinette would have worn. Its outer layer was cream and it's inner layer pure white. Also it had pink bows here and there.

"You look absolutely stunning," Blaise breathed as Draco was smirking.

"You really did find a dress that matches my outfit."

"So, you'll take me to the ball like this?" she smiled slyly gesturing at the dress with her hands.

"Definitely, gorgeous."

Ash grinned. "All right, we have a winner! Now lets grab some food at the Great Hall! I'm starving!"

Right now Ash was getting ready for the upcoming Halloween Ball that she would be attending in a short while with Tracy.

They had eaten the Halloween Feast together in the Great Hall earlier that evening and were now in their dorm room getting ready.

They were alone in the room. Pansy and Daphne had ran out of the room as soon as they had entered - probably going to their wannabe's room to change. Ash was secretly wishing they'd just stay at their wannabe's place for the rest of the year, then she wouldn't have to live with the constant glares any more and they wouldn't continue annoying her every night with their empty threats.

Quickly she changed into her Elizabethan style costume and placed the gigantic white haired wig on top of her head. Next she put on some light make up and soon she felt pleased with the way she looked. If the dress was a bit longer, she could have really been from the Era she portrayed.

Turning she looked at Tracy who was still fighting with her hair.

"Need help?"

"You're finished?"

"Yup."

"You really do suck..."

"And still you hang out with me... What does that say about you?"

"That I'm a sucker for losers?"

Ash laughed at her friend, "If you say so."

Tracy shot a look at Ash, "Wow, you look amazing!"

Ash blushed, "I know."

"You know that confident answer doesn't work with the blush."

"That's what you say."

Tracy shook her head while returning her attention to her hair.

While Ash waited for Tracy to finally finish her hair, she thought back to the day in the Room of Requirement when they had chosen the costumes. Seeing Draco's ice blue eyes light up when he saw her emerge from the racks with her newly found costume. Seeing him smirk while - hopefully - thinking that he had a beautiful date. But she also saw Blaise's eyes widen a bit when she came out, and his chocolate brown eyes didn't leave her inner eye any more.

Forcibly she got herself to imagine Draco waiting for her in the common room, together with Blaise, while cursing them for taking so long. Well, it wasn't her fault, it's defiantly Tracy that's taking so long.

Ash glanced at her friend to see that she moved on to the make up.

"Tracy, I just remembered. You didn't tell me who are you going with?"

The black head shot up and looked at her. "Um, I'm going with Blaise," she said while watching Ash intently.

Ash frowned, "with Blaise?"

Tracy nodded.

Ash stared at her emotionless, then she cracked a sincere smile. "Wow. I didn't know you guys were like that."

"Oh no, we aren't like that that. We're just friends that didn't have dates and decided to go together."

Ash crooked an eyebrow at her. "Its your own fault for not saying yes to any of the 20 guys that asked you to go there with them!"

"It weren't 20 people!"

"OK, 14, still a lot guys that you rejected and Blaise didn't even ask anyone, otherwise he'd have like 20 dates as well!" Tracy opened her mouth to argue, but Ash was right, so she closed her mouth again and shrugged grinning. "You guys are impossible!" Ash laughed.

Seeing Ash laugh, Tracy also cracked a smile, "I guess your right. But Blaise and I really don't like each other that way."

"Sure you don't," Ash winked at Tracy jokingly. "By the way. Are you finally ready?"

Tracy grinning and ran over her lips with lipstick one more time. "Yes I am."

When they emerged from the dorms, the party in the Slytherin common room was already in full format. The only seventh graders that still sat in here were Draco and Blaise, waiting for their dates to finally show themselves.

"Finally, even Pansy was fas-" Draco started before closing his mouth again when he saw the two girls in front of him. "Wow," he changed his mind.

The girls blushed and thanked him, before Blaise smiled at them and complimented them as well.

"You guys don't look all to bad yourself," Ash smiled at them, taking up their look. Together with his Elizabethan costume Draco also found one of those white haired wigs which he was now wearing and Blaise had perfected his pirate look with a eye strap that he had borrowed from another Slytherin with an pirate costume.

"Are we ready to go?"

They nodded and together the four of them left the common room to the children, while they made their way to the Great Hall where the Ball waited for them.

"You know, it was Tracy that took so long," Ash whispered to Draco when the other two fell back a bit.

Draco laughed, "I'll just believe you"

Ash's jaw dropped and she playfully hit him on the arm, "I'm not lying."

"I wasn't either. You don't need a lot of work to look as stunning as you do."

Ash looked at Draco, "I'll just take that as a compliment"

Draco frowned "What else would you take it for?"

"You could have meant that sarcastic."

"Oh, yeah, because I'm oh so sar- Alright. Wont say another word." Ash laughed, while tightening her grip on his arm.

Arm in arm they went down the corridors until they reached the open doors of the Great Hall. The ball had already started when they arrived.

The Halls decorations had changed significantly since dinner. The four long tables had vanished and had been replaced by small round tables that where covered with black cloth which had spider webs printed on them. On those tables where glasses and plates that all fit the Halloween theme.

Also, Hagrid had probably gotten gigantic spiders to spin their webs in the Hall, because on every wall and corner gigantic spider webs littered the walls and nearly hid the stone wall behind them. Also the candles were all glowing in a creepy red and yellow light that seemed to set the whole ceiling ablaze and there wasn't a barrier that stopped the wax to drop down on them.

Together with the decorations, a hoard of demons, devils and vampires littered the dance floor, dancing to the blasting beats of music from Mindless Self Indulgence - wizard band that also got popular with some muggles and one of Ash's favourite band.

"Bloody Merlin! Is that Mindless Self Indulgence? Fucking Merlin! Why didn't anyone tell me!" She squealed in excitement and ran to the dance floor and stood right in front of the stage, starring up at them, grinning.

Feeling Draco step up behind her she turned and kissed him passionately on the lips before she started to swing her hips to the music and jumping to the beat while screaming along to the lyrics of "Shut Me Up". When the song ended "Straight to Video" started and Draco pulled her nearer to him.

"You like them?" he screamed into her ear.

Ash looked at him shocked, "Who in the wizarding world doesn't like them?"

"True," Draco smirked while their hips pushed against each other.

Ash's emerald green eyes started into the ice blue eyes of Draco and the other way round, while moving to the beat of the music. When the next song ended they pulled together for another passionate kiss.

Hands roaming each others body.  
Bodies pushing against each other seductively.  
Eyes unclothing the other in their heads, while swaying to the enchanting beat of "Bed of Roses"

"I love your costume," Draco quietly said into her ear, before his hands touched the bare skin of her legs and travelled upwards.

Ash gasped and slapped his hand away from her ass. "Pervert," she snarled.

"And you love it," Draco inclined, which made Ash glare at him before she pulled him towards the table where Tracy and Blaise had been sitting for a while now.

"Hey, why aren't you dancing?"

"Don't want to?"

"Was that a question?" Ash asked frowning before shaking her head. "Not good you guys, not good!" she said and pulled Tracy up and stormed to the dance floor with her.

"Shouldn't you be dancing with your boyfriend?"

"I just did, now I'm dancing with my girlfriend!" Ash grinned. Unlike dancing with Draco, Ash wasn't shaking her hips now, but was jumping up and down on her heels and doing the most childish moves that you could to the music of Mindless Self Indulgence.

She saw Ron when she was sliding from left to right to the beat while waving her hands in the air and turning. "Ron!" she called out and stormed up to her cousin who was sitting at a a table just like Tracy had before - and was sneaking back to, as Ash noted with dismay.

"Dance with me!" she said and didn't leave him a choice as she pulled him to his feet - taking Hermione's hand as well - and dashing back to the dance floor.

"I've seen you dancing with Draco before," Ron said while he moved uncomfortably to the beat.

"Loosen up Ronny!" Ash said taking his arms and shaking them while ignoring his comment. When he stopped dancing and started at her, she sighed and asked, "So?"

"You looked very into each other," he states courtly.

"Well, we are dating. It be sad if we weren't into each other."

Ron's jaw tightened as he seemed to growl - Ash couldn't be sure though because of the loud music. 'I hate Jimmy Page' came up making Ash laugh as Ron's face turned red when the moans of a girl blasted through the speakers.

"Come on, darling, no bad feelings! It's Halloween, dance with us!"

Ron rolled his eyes and started to awkwardly move to the beat again. Ash looked up to see Harry still sitting with Ginny at the table and quickly motioned for them to come and dance as well.

Ginnys face lit up at the invitation and she briskly pulled an unhappy Harry onto the dance floor.

"What are you doing here, Gin? As far as I know, your not in 7th grade."

"But my date is!" Ash's eyes narrowed and looked at Harry.

"You better take care of the cutie!" making not only Harry blush, but also Ginny.

All the while Tracy was back at the table with the two boys staring at Ash while she danced with the Gryffindors.

"Does she ever stop dancing?" Tracy asked after a while.

"I don't think so... How can she even stand on those shoes for such a long time?" Blaise added fascinated by the ten centimetre heels Ash was jumping on.

"Don't ask me, mine are only half as high and I already want to cut my feet off."

Draco stayed quiet while he watched his girlfriend goof off to the bands music. "What's that guy doing over there?" he asked suddenly, sitting up straighter. Tracy and Blaise looked over as well and saw how some Zombie came nearer to Ash and tapped her on the shoulder. When Ash turned around annoyed and stared at him while he started moving his body nearer to hers, Draco jumped up and rushed to her dancing form. Pulling her into his body when he was near enough. "Fuck off," he told the living dead.

"Thanks," Ash smiled at him giving him a peck on the lips.

"You know I wouldn't have to help you if you wouldn't be dancing this sexily."

Ash crooked her eyebrow at him. "That wasn't what I call sexy."

"They what do you define as sexy?"

"That's what you would want to know, right?" she smirked while whispering into his ear.

Draco took a deep breath when he felt her hand grab his ass. "Oh yes," he gasped.

"Well, don't feel like showing it," she said and pulled away with a slap on his butt. Silently she turned back to her cousins, leaving a frustrated Draco staring at her back. Childishly, he stomped the ground and returned to the table.

"She's one hell of a frustrating woman!" he growled, making Tracy and Blaise laugh.

"And you only just noticed?" they asked in unison, making them laugh even harder.

Draco just rolled his eyes at them. "Come on guys, lets dance a bit," he said while helping Tracy up and walking to the Goons and Pansy and Daphne who were also on the dance floor with their dates.

Tracy and Blaise watched Draco with an confused look on their face when they saw that, instead of going into the direction of his girlfriend, he started dancing with Pansy and Daphne.

"What are you doing?" Blaise asked him shocked.

"I think that its obvious. I'm dancing."

"But why with them?"

"Oh, fuck off Zabini. Draco's a big boy he can dance with whomever he wants," Pansy sneered, pulling Draco towards her.

"No, Draco has a girlfriend."

"So? She's dancing with the Gryffindors, you really think Draco would sink that far?"

Blaise shook his head and shot, "What in the world made you think I was talking to you?" at Pansy. Then he turned to look at Draco "So are you coming?"

"Where to?"

"To dance with Ash."

"You know I have other friends as well, I can't spend all my time with you guys."

Blaise frowned at his friend, "what do you think you'll accomplish with this?"

But Draco didn't answer and only rolled his eyes at his dark skinned friend. Blaise shook his head and went to Ash and Tracy.

"Draco not wanna dance with the Gryffindors?" Ash asked with a grin, watching Blaise come over to them.

"How can you be so calm?" Tracy asked shock.

Ash smirked, but her friends could see a bit of hurt in her eyes. "He's got other friends as well, I can't expect him to cut all of his ties with Pansy and Daphne only because I'm not very fond of them," she shrugged.

"Yes, you can! He's your boyfriend, for Merlins sake!"

Ash looked at Draco dance with Pansy - it wasn't the same as their way of dancing, more apart - and laughed, "I don't see the betrayal in dancing. He knows when he goes to far. And he knows that I won't look past it. If he really likes me, he wont hurt my trust," she smiled and turned back to her family and started dancing.

End of discussion.


	26. Chapter 25 - Early Mornings

The next month continued without anything exciting happening in Hogwarts, School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Teachers taught their stupid students something making them intelligent students. Classes were still boring those students out of their mind, making it hard on the teachers in their task of enlightening them and practices for the next Quidditch matches still going under full force.

On the morning of the match - 7th of December - Ash woke up even earlier the normal. She wouldn't be playing in this next match, but just the thought of watching one again excited her just as much.

Today Gryffindor was playing against Hufflepuff.

Not to wake Tracy - and the other two that were sleeping soundly in the room - Ash silently pulled out the Gryffindor coloured clothes that she had borrowed from Ginny for today's match and quickly vanished into the bathroom to get ready.

At a comfortable slow pace she got undressed and got under the shower. Then just as comfortably she got dressed and tip toed out of the dorm rooms - leaving Tracy a message that told her that she would meet them all in the Great Hall before the game and that she was going on a little run.

Before leaving the common room she however turned to the boys dormitories and slid into Draco's room. Carefully she made her way over towards his bed and shook his sleeping silhouette.

"Draco," she whispered softly into his ear. "Draco, wake up."

She felt him stir under her touch and slowly he opened his eyes to look at her.

"Ash?"

"Morning," she said quietly smiling at her boyfriend. "You told me to wake you up the next time I was heading for a run," she told her sleepy boyfriend.

"Your going out now?"

"Yep."

Draco sighed heavily. "Alright. Give me a minute, I'm coming with you."

Ash grinned at him as she watched him take out some black clothes and put them on. "You're not cheering for anyone today?"

"Nope."

Ash crooked her eyes at Draco. "Why not?"

Draco looked at her disbelievingly. "I wont cheer for Gryffindor," was all he said.

"Well, then cheer for Hufflepuff. A game isn't quiet as fun if you don't have someone to cheer on."

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled out a blue scarf. "Happy?"

"Only if you are," she grinned and pulled the boy with the blue scarf into a kiss. "But now we don't match any more." she playfully frowned while taking his hand in hers and pulling him towards the door.

Once they stood outside the bedroom, Draco noticed that Ash had charmed the portrays silent again. "They really don't like you, do they?"

Ash shrugged, "Its their own fault for always screaming at me as soon as I enter your dorm. And you would think that after a month of being silenced four times a week they'd figure that the yelling doesn't help in any way," she said shaking her head.

While Ash and Draco walked through the castle, they noted that everything was still eerily quiet. No body was awake yet and when Ash looked out of a window she also knew why - it was still dark outside.

"Damn, what time did I wake up?" she sighed looking up at Draco who just shrugged. However, she didn't check the time but quickened their pace a bit and soon they stood on the school grounds.

Silently she turned into her wolven form and let the wolf in her take over once again, while Draco took his usual spot around her waist in his snake body.

_Your nice and warm, you know that?_ Draco asked snuggling into her fur.

_Well, I'm a warm blooded mammal, you cold blooded reptile,_ she answered with a sheepish grin on her face.

_Know-it-all_.

_Tell me something new_.

Ash could literally feel Draco rolling his eyes at her, which she countered with a little shake of her strong body.

_Don't do that!_ Draco hissed, making Ash laugh.

_Well, don't roll your eyes at me._

_Well, don't be a know-it-all._

_Your own fault for giving me an opportunity to show off my awesomeness._

That made Draco laugh, _I wouldn't be allowed to say anything if I did that._

Ash laughed as well, _Told you I'm awesome_.

Silence fell over the two of them while they went on running over the gardens and entered the forbidden forest.

Ash finally reached the place that she had been aiming towards when the sun was about to arise.

Not saying a word she quietly changed back into her human form. A while ago Draco had fallen asleep again and she made sure to not wake him while his sleeping form tightened around her human form as she went the last meters towards the highest point of the hill they where on and sat down on a gigantic rock that allowed her to see over the canopy of the forest and onto the lake and far away castle.

Carefully Ash unwound Draco from her body and kissed his scaly head. Slowly Draco opened his eyes and unconsciously kissed her lips with his split tongue. Quietly he took in the dark surrounding and changed back into his human form.

"Where are we?" he yawned.

"You'll soon see, I found this place on one of my excursion. It's one of my favourites," Ash told him quietly and turned his face towards the direction of the castle as the sun went up and painted the world around them in pink colour play.

They watched quietly as the sun rose in silence and tainted the landscapes in every colour of pink. Setting the clouds ablaze and illuminating the lake while the castles silhouette stood as a strong contrast on the edge of an small cliff above the lake.

Draco moved to sit behind Ash and pulled her into an comfortable hug as they continued watching the sun. Ash snuggled into his embrace and looked at his beautiful face that was also illuminated by a warm pink light. She smiled at the sight and leaned up to his full lips, kissing him softly.

"I love you," she whispered and turned back to look at the dawning sun.

"I love you too," Draco whispered into her ear nibbling on it.

When the sun fully emerged from the cover of the earth and the sky turned blue again, Ash looked up at Draco once again. "Wanna head back?"

"I guess..." Draco pouted slightly, but then his face turned a bit more determined. "Yeah, we should, can't miss the chance of watching the Gryffindors make a fool of themselves."

"So not happening! Hufflepuffs will be the ones to look like fools!" she glared playfully and watched Draco shake his head and turn into a snake. "Sure you're a Slytherin?" she heard him ask while turning.

Swiftly she followed his example and turned as well. _Git, _she growled.

Draco winded himself around her and moved his head to look at her eyes, his tongue flickering over her nose. _Thank you for bringing me here._

In response Ash let her own tongue slide over Draco's face - not quite as graceful as he had though. _Any time._


	27. Chapter 26 - Quidditch & Worst Birthday

The stands were packed as Ash and Draco joined their friends in the Slytherin stands, only a couple minutes until the game would start.

"Where have you been?" Blaise asked in a bored voice as they pushed themselves in front of the younger kids, next to their friends.

"We've been exploring," Draco said with a smug grin on his face allowing Ash to roll her eyes at him.

"Oh, wipe that suggestive grin off your face, Draco," she told her boyfriend before turning to the others. "I woke up early again and we ran through the forest a bit," she explained.

The two of them laughed and suddenly they noticed the noise picking up around them as the teams walked onto the field.

Ash turned to look at the red clad team and started cheering as well.

Quickly she turned to look at Tracy. "Did you bring it?" she asked her friend, who just grimaced and nodded while handing the strawberry blond girl a poster.

"I can't believe you made me carry this around for you!" she exaggerated and hugged her blue scarf tighter around her.

"Oh, don't be such a baby! I know that you made Blaise carry that 'awful' thing for you," Ash told a now grinning Tracy.

Rolling her eyes she quickly unfolded the poster and held it up high above her head.

On the large red piece of paper Ash had painted a big yellow lion that she had magicked to slash out of the poster and roar when she shook it around. Next to the lion, words flashed on a unending loop. "Go Gryffindor" - "Go Weasley's". She had also magicked - and that part she was very proud off - that when she believed that Ginny or Ron or Harry needed a bit more motivation, she could change the words into: "Go Ginny", "Go Ron"or "Go Harry" with a simple tab on the poster with her wand.

"GO GRYFFINDOR! GO WEASLEY'S!" she screamed and waved the poster high above her head. Earning a couple of boos from her fellow Slytherins, as well as a couple of curses because she was blocking the sight of a couple of them.

Swiftly she turned to glare at them and they fell silent at under her gaze. Most moved away to sit somewhere else - nobody wanted to anger Ash Weasley, nor her friends.

Moving her concentration back to the field under her she saw that the teams had placed themselves in a circle around Madam Hooch. Quietly everyone watched as the players mounted their brooms and listened as Madam Hooch blew her whistle and let the balls loose.

"And the game begins," She heard the booming voice of Amelia shout through the stadium and everyone cheered when 15 mounted brooms launched into the air.

"Ginny Weasley caught the Quaffle and is rushing away towards the Hufflepuff goals - Cadwallander tries to stop her but Wealsey passed to her fellow chaser Demelza Robins - Robin throws - but Herbert Fleet, Hufflepuff's Keeper catches it and passes to - No Weasley intercepted again with her broom and SCORES!" Amelia screams and half of the stadium jumps up in cheers - including a lonely blond haired girl dressed in red in the Slytherin stands, while everyone else; dressed in blues; groans in disappointment.

"GO GINNY!" the lonesome Slytherin yelled and waved her sign that was now flashing "Go Ginny".

"The game resumes - Cadwallder has the Quaffle and shoots into the Gryffindor's section - pass Weasley - pass Bell - Jimmy Peakes caught Cadwallder with an Bludger and she looses the Quaffle - the Hufflepuff Chaser Zacharias Smith catches the falling Quaffle before Robins can and races towards the hoops again. He throws - SCORE! 10 points for Hufflepuff."

Around Ash the people cheered, not quite as enthusiastically as the people in the Hufflepuff stands, but loud enough to let everyone one know that - the majority of Slytherin - was hoping the Hufflepuff would win.

"Ron you need to catch the ball!" Ash screamed at the top of her lungs, screwing up her face at him.

"Tamsin Applebee caught the Quaffle behind the hoops and throws it past a confused Ron Weasley - Smith catches the Quaffle and SCORES AGAIN! Another 10 points for Hufflepuff, while the Gryffindor Keeper is still confused at what has just happened"

"OPEN YOUR EYES YOU DUMB WIT!" Ash yelled at her cousin - but he still couldn't hear her scoldings.

"Ginny Wealsey caught the ball and rushes past her brother and into Hufflepuff territory again - Applebee and Smith try to catch her - but to late. Weasley throws the Quaffle and SCORES!"

Again only Ash jumped off her seat to cheer for the Gryffindors.

"Your cousin is quite good," Draco said while watching Ginny stealing the Quaffle again and then score another goal.

"Yeah, isn't she?" Ash answered proudly after cheering for her baby cousin again. "I wish Ron would show a bit more of his talent as well."

"Ron doesn't have any talent."

"Sure he does!"

"Do you think that we called him our 'King' for respect?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, Ronnywonny didn't tell you? Last year he already let every Quaffle in. We composed a very nice song for him as well."

Ash looked at Draco confused. "What was it?"

"The lyrics went something like:  
'Weasley cannot save a thing,  
He cannot block a single ring,  
That's why Slytherins all sing:  
Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin  
He always lets the Quaffle in

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley is our King,  
Weasley is our King,  
Weasley will make sure we win  
Weasley is our King.' "

Ash looked at Draco with an emotionless face. "Draco... I think you sometimes forget that you are talking with a Weasley," she stated and crooked her head to one side, still not betraying any emotions.

Draco paled - he really had forgotten about that simple fact for a second. "Um..."

Ash smiled at him sadly. "It's OK. If he continues to play like that, I guess I'll have to learn the lyrics myself," she joked and glared at her cousin.

Suddenly she jumped up from her seat and screamed as loud as she could. "Ron! You catch that forsaken Quaffle, or I will beat the crap out of your sorry ass at the end of the game!"

This time Ron had heard her and turned his head to look at her - thankfully she had waited until the Quaffle was in the hands of the Gryffindors. His face betrayed a bit of shock when he saw, a red dot in a blue, green and black ocean, glaring and screaming at him.

"Furthermore I know the song!" she added when she saw him look at her. Panic crossed his face. He knew her long enough to know that this last part was the greatest threat she could give him. If he wouldn't start to play better, she would torture him with that terrible song that the Slytherins had composed for him last year.

Even more determined now, Ron turned back to the game. His face showing that he would not let another Quaffle fly past him.

"What was that about?" Tracy asked her friend, when she had sat back down next to Draco.

"What was what about?"

"You know what I mean!"

Ash frowned at Tracy. "Just a bit of extra motivation. I don't want to hear that song ever again," she said glancing pointedly at Draco. "And I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to either. He'll play better from now on."

And Ash was correct. From the moment after Ash had threatened him with the song, he didn't let another Quaffle pass his hoops and soon Harry caught the snitch with a breathtaking move, in which he let himself race to the ground with his broom - until he nearly slammed into it with his broom - and pulled up again - about a meter above the ground - where the snitch had been waiting to be caught.

Cheers erupted from the crowed, excluding most of the Slytherins, as they watched Harry hold up the snitch with pride. His team mates and a lot of other Gryffindor's joined him and celebrated their victory.

Ash grinned like a maniac, but left the stadium with the rest of the Slytherins, not even trying to congratulate the Gryffindors she had cheered on for their win.

"Sure you don't wanna wait and congratulate them?"

"Nah, why should I? They know I'm happy for them and they saw me cheering for them," Ash shrugged. "Any way, they don't have time for me right now. I'll catch them in the Great Hall," she smiled.

In the Great Hall Ash watched Harry, her cousins and the rest of the team being carried into the dining room by the other Gryffindor's, while they chanted their house names.

Soon however the chanting stilled and was taken over by excited chatting and laughter.

Ash rose to stalk over to the Gryffindor's table, grinning. "Good game losers," she smirked when she reached the other table and placed her hands on Ron's shoulders.

"Did you see then correct game, Weasley? We're the winners," Katie Bell glared - not knowing that Ash was joking.

"I was joking, Bell," she rolled her eyes and then turned to Ginny with a grin. "Ginny you were awesome! It seems as if Gryffindor only need one Chaser with you on the team, Robin was also quite good," Ash smiled and then shot a glare pointedly at Bell, "the other one was a bit useless if you ask me."

Bell was fuming at her and tried to say something. However she stumbled over her words with fury and only unintelligible mumbles could be heard. Ash looked at her with an eyebrow raised and snickered "Cat got your tongue?", before turning back to her main objective.

Ash leaned down to hug an embarrassed Ron from behind. "Congratulations Ronald. You played pretty good at the end of the game. But don't ever make me have to threaten you again, OK?"

Ron's face was burning with embarrassment as he nodded again. "How did you hear of the song?"

"Oh, Draco forgot he was talking to a Weasley for a second there and announced it quite proudly," Ash said shaking her head. "But don't worry, you won't hear that stupid song in a long time if you continue playing like you did at the end of the game!" she grinned and hugged her cousin tightly again.

"You know... you really are a weird person."

"Weird is good, right?"

"I guess."

Ash kissed Ron's cheek and then turned to look at Harry. "By the way, nice catch Potter."

Harry grinned at her, "I know."

"But don't think that fancy move will work on our team. We'll still beat the crap out of you," Ash smirked.

Harry laughed. "Sure you will," he said with a smirk of his own.

"Can't wait to see you skipping through the school naked," she said, smirk growing even wider.

"You mean to run through the school naked yourself," he corrected her, making Ash laugh.

"We'll see about that," she said with a smirk and let her eyes roam over her family again. Standing there awkwardly for a moment... When they didn't say anything however, she sighed and turned away.

She was furious when she left the Gryffindor table. "I can't believe that they forgot!" she mumbled to herself, but soon enough - even before she reached her house table - she had calmed herself down again. She couldn't really be angry at them. They had had a game today and they won! They needed the celebration time. Especially after the last couple of month stuffed to the maximum with homework and detentions. _Hell,_ she thought, _I nearly forgot myself._

Well to be 100 percent correct she had forgotten, but the letter from her Aunt Molly - that she had received and opened just before the Gryffindors had burst into the room - had reminded her.

Today was the 7th of December.

Today she had turned 17.

Today was her Birthday.

She knew that she wouldn't be getting any congratulations from her friends and the other Slytherins. Not because they didn't care, but because she had never mentioned it to them. But she had believed that at least her cousins would have congratulated her.  
However, it seemed that they had forgotten about that useless event as well.

With a sad smile she sat down next to Draco and the others and resumed eating her lunch.

"What's up?" Draco asked concerned, when he saw her poking the food instead of putting it into her mouth.

Ash looked up at him. "Oh, its nothing... really," she added when he looked at her unconvinced.

Still not fully convinced, he turned back to his food and the conversation he was just having with Blaise, while Ash started to actually eat the food on her plate. With one hand she absent-mindedly played with a small necklace that had found a new place around her neck a few minutes ago.

Aunt Molly always knew what she liked and this amulet was definitely something she loved. In fact, she remembered how she had always adored it when they passed the antiques shop in the little muggle town that the Weasley family had lived in.

It was a very simple flat piece of metal with runes engraved into it and a ring that hung on the same chain, placed right in front of the amulet.

It didn't have any meaning, nor any special powers. Ash knew that - it came from a muggle shop. And yet something about it had called out to her. She had adored it since she had seen it for the first time. Every year when she visited her cousins in England she would go to the shop and stare at it.

Molly had seen that, as had her parents. But it was a very expensive trinket and therefore Ash never really thought that she would be able to own it.

And still... now it was hanging around her neck, as light as a feather.

Ash was smiling to herself while fingering the necklace. Letting her mind wander.

"You look happy," Tracy commented.

Startled Ash came back to reality. "Oh, yeah," she smiled, still holding onto the necklace.

"That new?"

"Yep, my Aunt gave it to me."

"Ah..." Tracy started. "Why?" she asked.

Ash was about to answer, when her face was gracefully pushed into the pie she was about to eat by a force that knocked into her from behind.

Shocked, Ash pulled her face out of the creamy pie and angrily wiped away the filling from her eyes. When her vision was cleared again, Ash saw Tracy's face was filled with horror.

Her skull was buzzing and she couldn't hear what Tracy tried telling her while pointing at her face. "What are-?" she tried asking, but she only heard unrecognisable mumbling before she felt the problem herself.

The Great Hall was filled with a screeching scream as Ash jumped up on her feet and held tightly onto her head. Plants were starting to push out of her ears and into the fresh air around her. Ripping her ear drums apart. Fighting to reach freedom out off her head first.

Looking around herself frantically, Ash noticed the friends still sitting at the table shocked and then Draco and Blaise jump up to try and help her, Tracy rushing towards the teachers table, where the teachers had already jumped up and ran up to her and a smirking Pansy before everything went black around her...

When she woke up again, the world was silent.

Nothing had changed. The infirmary was still the same annoying and colourless place that it always was and she still hated waking up in here.

And yet... everything was eerily quiet...

"Hello?" she called, or at least she thought she did. She couldn't hear herself. But it seemed Madam Pomfrey had heard her, because she came rushing out ohf her office at once.

She seemed to be saying something, fussing about her, Ash presumed. However she stopped moving her mouth when she noticed Ash looking at her confused, head tilted to one side.

Something seemed to dawn to her and quickly the nurse summoned a pen and a block of paper.

**How are you feeling?** she wrote down in nice smooth lines.

"Good," she answered.

**Can you hear anything?**

Ash shook her head no and saw a frown spread across Madam Pomfrey's face. "What?"

Madam Pomfrey looked up at her and shook her head. **It's nothing serious, I believe. But the potion should have worked already.**

"Nothing serious?" she screamed and jumped out of her bed, glaring at the nurse. It was weird not hearing herself when she knew she was screaming as loud as she could.

Madam Pomfrey waved her hands up and down, signing her to calm down.

"Calm down? How the hell do you suppose I calm down, when I can't hear a thing and the potion that was supposed to cure me is not working?!" she tried to say, but it must have come out a bit wrong because Madam Pomfrey looked at her confused and worried.

Tears came to her eyes and soon she found herself running out off the door from the infirmary and down the nearest corridor, not looking where she went.

After a few minutes she came to an abrupt stop in front of the Slytherin common room. Quietly she mumbled the password, but the wall did not bulge. Through the tears and confusion the word had been jumbled together in her mouth and the wall hadn't understood her.

Sent into another fit of hysterical tears Ash sank to her knees and screamed the password over and over again.

That's how one of the 4th years had found her when he came back from detention at shortly after 11 o'clock that night.

Scared he warily walked up to her and placed a soft hand on her shaking form.

Her head shot up and he finally recognized the crying girl. Inhaling sharply he said the common room password and picked her trembling form off the ground. Supporting her, he walked her into the common room and swiftly a few others had gathered around her.

"Get Malfoy, Zabini and Davis," he told some of them and gently placed the shocked girl on one off the couches. She gave him a tired smile.

"Dr- Drac- Draco?" she asked and looked at him pleadingly.

"He's coming," the brown haired boy tried to tell her, but saw that she just glared at his lips, as if she didn't hear what he had said and blamed his lips for that.

Tears started running down her face again when Ash saw the boy shift his eyes from her towards something behind her and she turned to see Draco, Blaise and Tracy run up to them.

'Ash,' she could read Draco say as he rushed next to her and pulled her into an embrace. She clung to his form as if her life depended on it. She could feel Draco's mouth moving, she could feel the vibrations of his voice in his chest, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

She felt Tracy stroking her back and saw that the boy that found he was talking to Blaise, probably telling him what happened. Concerned Blaise looked over at her every now and then.

Gently Ash pushed Draco away and wiped her eyes dry from tears. She took a deep breath and formed the word 'fea-ther' with her mouth, hoping that this time she was speaking clear. Draco looked at her a bit confused but quickly stood up and got her what she had asked for, together with a piece of parchment and ink.

**I can't hear anything,** she wrote down and showed it to her friends. Then she placed the paper onto her lap again and wrote **And I can't seem to form the words correctly without hearing them,** again she showed it to her shocked friends.

Draco started saying something but was interrupted by Tracy who was pointing at the feather and parchment.

**What do you mean?** he wrote but scratched it out when he saw Ash's annoyed face. **Sorry. I meant, can't Madam Pomfrey help you with that?**

Anger flashed in Ash's face as she pulled the paper out of Draco's grasp and wrote **That stupid, incompetent cow said that the potion seems to not be working!**

This also angered Draco, as he read her words. But he knew that she didn't need anger right now, but someone to hold onto. Hence instead of following his first instinct to run to the nurse and hit her, he pulled his girlfriend into a loving hug and gently kissed her temple. Soothing and calming her.

"What an awful Birthday," Ash mumbled to herself.

"What did you say?" Draco inquired.

"I said -" Ash's head jerked up and she stared at Draco. "Say that again."

Draco frowned at her "I said: What did you say?" he repeated and both their eyes widened.

"I can hear!" she gasped and again tear ran down her face, but this time it were tears of joy. Her voice never had sounded so wonderful to her.

Draco tightened his hold of her kissed her passionately. "Don't ever shock me like that again!" he said when they rested their foreheads against each others. Ash agreed enthusiastically, nodding her head wildly.

"So, love. What did you just mumble? I think I've heard something quite interesting," he inquired.

"What an awful Birthday," Ash repeated looking at Draco.

"Who's birthday?"

"My Birthday"

"When?"

Ash turned to look at Blaise "What time is it?"

Blaise looked at his watch, "11:50."

Ash smiled at him and nodded, then turned back to look at Draco. "Today," she smiled.

"Today?"

"Today."

"Today is your birthday?"

"Today is my birthday."

Draco started at her speechless.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Tracy screamed, hitting her friend across the head.

"You didn't ask," Ash shrugged.

Tracy gaped at her, before shaking her head and smiling at her strange blond friend. "Happy Birthday," she sighed and pulled Ash away from Draco to hug her.

"Thank you."

"Happy Birthday," Blaise whispered into her ear when he hugged her tightly as well. "You really should have told us."

"We could have prepared presents and a party!" Tracy agreed and shook her head in disappointment that they couldn't really celebrate the ending of her friends birthday.

Finally Draco pulled her back into his own arms and embraced her tightly. "Happy Birthday," he mumbled into her ear and kissed her lips lovingly.


	28. Chapter 27 - Brooding

The next day, her friends haven't just yet forgiven Ash. Every time they saw her they couldn't resist shaking their head at her in disappointment. How could she have not told them about her birthday?

However, something that they definitely would never forgive was what Pansy did to Ash. They could still see her shaking and crying form in front of them when they looked at her now, stuffing her face with food and listening to her surroundings and the tables conversations.

How did they know it was Pansy? Well, it was kind off obvious when they had come into the common room the other night and Pansy was boasting it to Daphne, who had looked a bit uncomfortable in their presence. Furthermore, Ash had told them about seeing Pansy grin at her when she noticed the plants erupting from her ears.

Yet, the teachers couldn't do anything. Pansy said that she didn't do it - and Veritaserum was forbidden.

Nonetheless, they knew Ash. You couldn't hurt Ash and think that you could get away with it. No. Ash was a fighter, a prankster, an absolute genius when it comes to revenge...

Ash was quiet when she joined her friends at breakfast the next morning. Only mumbling a small "Morning," before falling quiet again and starring at her food. She didn't even pick up the fork to pretend that she was eating something.

"Ash? Are you alright?" Tracy asked carefully when she saw her depressed friend.

Her blond head shot up. "Yeah, don't worry about me," she murmured and went back to starring at her waffles.

Concerned her friends moved their heads together. "She's lying," Tracy stated and glanced at the blond lifeless girl next to her, who had decided to finally eat the waffles before they turned cold(er).

"Well, it's not like we'd be jumping around and laughing if it would have happened to us," Blaise said tightening his lips.

"But, I've never seen her this... this lifeless," Tracy sighed and looked at her friend concerned.

"I know what you mean, but think about it like this. She just went through one of the greatest shocks in her life," Draco told her, "I think she just needs a bit of time... that's all."

"I guess..."

"Hey, how are you feeling?" the trio heard a voice say beside them, and saw Ginny hugging her cousin from behind.

"I'm alright, what about you?"

"Better, now that I see you plant-less," Ginny joked quietly and Ash's lips twitched an inch. But soon she fell silent again and her emotionless expression masked her face once again.

All of a sudden her head turned to look at the red haired girl that was still standing next to her. "You know what day today is?" she asked.

Ginny looked at her confused. "Yeah, its the 8th"

"8th of what?"

"8th of December. Why ar- Oh bloody Merlin! I'm so sorry! The game and the plants and everything. I totally forgot!" Ginny gasped when she remembered the 7th. "Happy Birthday!" she called and hugged her cousin tightly.

Again Ash's lips twitched, but nothing more. Her lips twitched and then she went back to her food and continued eating her waffles - ignoring Ginny for the rest of her short lived stay at the Slytherin table.

When Ginny wanted to leave, Tracy touched her hand, stood up and silently followed Ginny to her table.

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you. I've never seen Ash like this and its starting to scare me," Ginny glanced back at her silent cousin.

"I've seen her like that once before. She's brooding."

"Brooding?"

Ginny nodded and left Tracy standing alone. When Tracy went back to the table, she was surprised that she didn't see Ron nor Harry or Hermione come over to congratulate their family and friend, although she noticed that Granger had moved to stand up, but was stopped by Ginny. Probably telling them that it was useless, she was brooding.

Brooding. Tracy was unsure if that was better then what she had thought. It definitely wasn't a good sign for Pansy, who was currently laughing into her fists because she thought that she had hurt Ash. But she wished that Ash would include her and Blaise into the brooding process. She didn't like her silent friend and already missed the happy-go-lucky attitude she normally had.

"She's brooding," Tracy told the two boys when she sat down in her seat once again.

"Brooding?"

"Brooding."

The tree fell silent and watched their preoccupied friend...

The people around them had already vanished from the Great Hall, leaving the three of them alone in the way to big room.

"Ash, we should go," Blaise told her and helped her stand up, taking her by the hand and pulling her with them, when she didn't respond. Draco had given up waiting for Ash to awake from her thinking state, a few hours ago and had gone with Crabbe and Goyle to the common room.

Together the three of them went to the Astronomy tower, where Tracy and Blaise sat down in silence and looked at the landscape, while Ash kept brooding.

"Do you think she can hear us?" Blaise asked after a while and lay down on his back, starring at the statue-like girl. The only thing that told them that she was indeed no statue was her gentle breathing and the hair that swayed in the wind.

"I think so."

"How long do you think she will stay like this?"

Tracy shrugged. "A while."

Blaise yawned and looked out of the tower again. "It's like having a statue as friend," he stated after few minutes passed in silence again.

"I know... But I bet after this, we'll be witnesses to one of the greatest vengeance pranks there ever was." Tracy grinned and glanced at her dark skinned friend. He looked back at her and grinned as well.

At that exact same moment, Ash's head snapped up. "Eureka! I've got it!"

After Ash's head snapped up Blaise and Tracy crowded her.

"What are we doing?"

"How will we get back at her?"

Ash looked at her friends and smiled. "Revenge is something bad. You should never go into revenge. Show them the other cheek. That's the way to go and keep your honour," she answered and got off the floor, turning her back at her gaping friends.

"W-w-what?" Tracy stuttered, "W-what about Vengeance? Did you forget what she made you go through?"

Ash turned her face to look at her friends, evil glint in her eyes. When she had fully turned around she started laughing, laughing so hard that her knees buckled and soon she found herself on the floor again. "Merlin! You should have seen your face! 'W-What about Vengeance?'" Ash quoted and laughed. In an instant she sobered up. "I can't believe you believed that bullshit. Of course we're taking revenge. And it will be horrid," she said glaring at the star filled sky in front of her.

Blaise and Tracy grinned at her and joined her at the astronomy towers balcony. "So what are we gonna do?" Blaise asked leaning on the rail on her right side.

Ash smiled a small smile and looked at him, "No. Not 'we'. This is my personal revenge. It is something I have to do alone."

Blaise and Tracy frowned at her, but didn't say anything. Soon enough they turned back to the starlit sky and wondered.

"Lets go eat something," Ash said and lead her friends back to the Great Hall where dinner was just about to end.

A week had passed and everyday people where expecting Ash's final hit, but nothing came.

Everyday they saw an unharmed Pansy Parkinson appear at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Everyday they saw her go to her classes and do her homework, not bothered by anything.

And with everyday Pansy believed that she really won over Ash.

With everyday that passed, Pansy stopped looking over her shoulder and laughed a little louder when she saw Ash. Also the anticipation from their peers stared to fade. They also started to believe the Ash Weasley wasn't as tough and frightening as they had come to believe. They came to believe that Ash Weasley was a little, helpless girl who only barked, who wouldn't bite. They started to forget why they had come to respect her.

"When will you finally do something?" Tracy asked her for the hundredth time this week while they walked to the common room together.

"Be patient."

"But your loosing face!"

Ash looked at her friend. "So? I'll regain it soon enough."

"When?"

"When nobody expects it."

"They aren't expecting you to do anything even now!"

Ash smiled. "Your right... Time has come, hasn't it?"

"It's come a week ago, but whatever!"

Ash sighed and sat down next to Draco when they reached their usual seats, folding her legs over Draco's. "Where to start... where to start..." she mumbled to herself, as she felt Draco's hand slid around her waist and stay on her thigh.

"What are you planning?" he asked softly into her ear.

"That, my love, doesn't concern you."

"On the contrary, it does concern me very much."

"How so?"

"You're my girlfriend. I have to make sure you're not doing anything foolish."

"Oh Draco, when do I ever do something foolish?"

He smiled at her, "you wont tell me, will you?"

"No chance. You will have to wait and see like all the others."

Draco's smile faltered for a second. "Alright, I'll trust you won't do anything stupid."

"You always should," she smiled taking his face in her hands and gently kissing his lips.

"Ew, I really don't understand how you can kiss a freak like that, Draco," a annoying voice disturbed their kiss.

In complete sync, Ash and Draco sighed and rolled their eyes at the pug-face.

"Oh shut your trap, pug-face!" Ash said to her and turned back to Draco for another kiss.

"What did you just call me?"

Ash groaned and turned to face Pansy again. "Pug-face."

Pansy gasped, "you did not!"

"I'm pretty sure I did. But if you would excuse me, I'm quiet busy at the moment." With that she turned away from Pansy and kissed the soft lips of the boy with the platinum blond hair again.

Pansy huffed and pulled out her wand, pointing it at Ash's neck. "You should be careful with what you say to me. I've already hurt you once and will do it any time again. How about some broccoli out of the nose this time?" she said.

Ash tensed up when she felt the wand on her neck. "You know... you really lucky that there aren't any teachers around," she whispered but slowly slid away from Draco.

If Pansy would have looked at Draco, she might have seen confusion in his eyes, as well as shock. But that didn't matter because she saw what had shocked him soon enough. When Ash turned around to look at Pansy, she was grinning like a maniac.

"You know why I love muggles even though I'm a pure-blooded Slytherin?" she asked letting her face fall to one side. "I love those little gadgets that they make in order to survive without magic," she said wickedly and took a step towards the now scarred witless girl.

The girl tried to protect herself by poking Ash in the chest, but Ash wasn't fazed. She just took the wand between her fingers and took it away from the trembling girl.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you see, this -" Ash pulled out a small device from her pocket, "is a recorder. Do you know what it does?"

Pansy shook her head no.

"Well, it records what it hears. For example, if someone where stupid enough to come near a recorder and - let say - confess that they did something, that could... I don't know... expel them from school, it records it and can be replayed, over and over and over again." Ash smirked as Pansy fell onto the couch that stood behind her.

"W-w-what do you mean?"

"Are you really that dense?" Ash shook her head and rewound the recorder, after a couple of seconds she pressed play and a voice sounded out of the device.

_"...excuse me, I'm quiet busy at the moment."_ Ash's voice sounded out of the recorder. Followed by the threat Pansy said only seconds later.  
_"You should be careful with what you say to me. I've already hurt you once and will do it any time again. How about some broccoli out of the nose this time?"_

"Image what would happen if the teachers were to hear of this!" Ash said faking concern.

"You - you wouldn't," Pansy said, trying to sound brave.

"Oh, you and I both know that I would," Ash said, leaning down to her. "But" she added moving her upper body back and turning around, "I won't, as long as you do what I tell you too" when the last syllable left her lips she turned her face to look at Pansy. "How does that sound?"

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, head hanging. She knew she was defeated.

"Clever girl," Ash smirked. "Lucky for you, I really am quiet busy right now... so how about you just go back to your room and leave us alone for now?" she said and shooed Pansy away.

Quietly she watched as a glaring Pansy shuffled towards the dorms and vanished behind the doors. Gracefully she turned back to Draco. "So where were we?" she smiled and stepped towards her boyfriend that was staring at her in awe.

Quickly he closed the gap between them and kissed her passionately. "You're a genius, you know that?"

"Oh, yes I do," she grinned into his lips. She became aware of her surroundings again, when Tracy pulled her out of Draco's embrace and hugged her tightly herself.

"I can't believe what you did! You can do anything with her now!" she screamed and jumped up and down next to her.

"It's just a bit sad that only a handful of Slytherins where able to witness this," Blaise added and hugged his glorious friend.

"Ah, guys! Your making me blush!" Ash giggled and leaned into Draco, as his arms wrapped around her mid section from behind.

"So what are you going to make her do?" he asked quietly.

Ash didn't answer, but a mischievous grin settled on her face.


	29. Chapter 28 - Revenge is Sweet

"Hey Pansywancy," Ash called out and waved when she saw the girl with the black hair. "Why don't you and Daphne sit with us today? Like in the old times!" A couple of Slytherins started snickering while the people on the other tables looked over shocked, especially when they saw Pansy hesitantly walk over to join them, a slightly frightened Daphne following them.

"What do you want?" Pansy spat.

Ash looked at her fellow Slytherin confused. "I just wanted to be nice. You know, eat and talk together, like we did in the old times. We had so much fun together!" she smiled.

"Oh, bloody Merlin, we both know that you're lying."

Ash narrowed her eyes, "you should be careful with what you say. I do hope you did not forget your situation."

Pansy tensed, "of course I haven't"

Ash smiled again, "then, _please_ sit down."

Pansy looked around herself and slowly sat down next to the girl that was blackmailing her.

After that nothing happened. Ash ignored their presence throughout the majority of breakfast, but then she finally turned back to Pansy.

"You know... I have this nagging feeling that I should tell you why I'm doing this. I know its stupid... But I just can't help myself. You know Pansy, what you did. Well, normally I would just laugh it off. You got me there, that's too bad, but its not like I can't take a joke. I probably would have just jinxed you back a bit and then everything would be alright again," Ash told her.

"However, unintentionally, you hurt me more then just letting plants erupt from my head. Those plants burst my eardrums. Do you know how much that hurt?" Pansy shook her head. "A lot."

"However, the biggest problem was that when I awoke from in the infirmary, I wasn't cured - which even surprised Madam Pomfrey. I really believed I've gone deaf. For about two hours I tormented myself, thinking I would never be able to hear Draco's, Tracy's nor Blaise's voice. I was even sad that I couldn't hear your voice. Do you know how much that hurts?" Pansy shook her head no again and Ash copied her. "Well, believe me. It hurts.

"So, you must understand, that I can't just let you off like that," Ash snapped her fingers. "Yet I don't want to be petty. Therefore, rejoice. I'll delete that recorded idiocy in time for you to go freely into the winter holidays, if you do anything I ask of you throughout this week. Does that sound fair to you?"

Pansy's eyes widened as she carefully nodded her head.

"Good girl," Ash said and patted her head. "What's your next class?"

"DADA"

"Oh yeah, we have that call together, right? With the Gryffindor's... hm..." Ash scrunched up her face in thought. "How about we start with something very, very easy? In DADA, I want you to go over to -" Ash straightened up and glanced at the Gryffindor table. " - Dean Thomas and convince him of your undying love for him"

Pansy gasped as her eyes widened. "Thomas?"

"What? You don't like him... well, would you rather convey your undying love to Longbottom or Potter then?" Ash suggested and saw the horror in Pansy's eyes. "Be happy I love my cousin too much, otherwise I'd really change your target to Harry." She turned to look at Tracy and Blaise, "What do you think? Longbottom or Thomas?"

Tracy and Blaise looked at each other before they sighed, "Thomas" they said as one, and Blaise explained, "We'd love to say Longbottom, but if you want to stay on the good side with your family we'll have to take Thomas."

Ash smiled at them and nodded. "There you have it," she said, looking back at Pansy. "DADA, undying love, Thomas. I hope you'll have fun."

Pansy looked at her pleadingly, quickly glancing at Draco for help - who in turn shook his head - before turning to look at Thomas in disgust.

"Don't forget, you've got to mean it. He's got to believe that you really are madly in love with him," Tracy hissed as she passed Pansy while walking through the door to the DADA classroom.

"No worries, Thomas doesn't bite." Ash said and patted Pansy on the shoulder before following her friend.

Professor Humbug hadn't entered the classroom yet, when the show began. Instead of sitting down on her normal seat, next to Daphne, Pansy went straight towards Dean's desk and sat down next to him. With an unsure glance back at Ash - who 'encouraged' her by sticking up her thumbs.

"D-D-Dean." she said, getting the boys attention.

"What do you want, Parkinson?"

Again Pansy glanced towards the Slytherin section of the class. Ash motioned her to go on. "Please, call me Pansy." Dean looked at her confused and glanced behind her at the Slytherins - who were pretending to ignore the scene, while trying to hold back laughter. "Dean," Pansy continued after a small pause, "I know I haven't been the nicest of people."

Dean crooked his eyes at her. "Alright. I was a bitch," she admitted. "But... you know how it is. Two different houses, getting to know each other when you're young. Teasing the ones we like..."

Dean looked at Pansy confused, "what, in Merlin's name, are you trying to say?"

Pansy took a deep breath, and tried not to look at Ash and the others before saying: "Dean Thomas, I'm in love with you," she shuddered and heard the Slytherins at the other end of the room burst out laughing.

Dean looked at Pansy in disgust and then looked at the laughing Slytherins. "Oh, fuck off Parkinson," he said, but saw determination in her face.

"No Dean! Listen," she cried. "They think this is a joke, but it isn't I truly love you."

Thomas groaned and looked at his friends. The golden Trio and Neville seemed to just as shocked as Dean at Pansy's confession.

"Good morning class," a voice interrupted the show before Dean could say anything. Quickly the whole class turned their attention to Professor Humbug who was standing at her desk. "Due to the fact that this is the last week of school, before the winter holidays, we really don't have much more to do. Therefore, I thought we'd use what we learned this year and try it out, like a kind of review," the Professor smiled. "The person your sitting next to right now, will be your partner for this week."

Most of the class cheered, but Thomas had a hard time not to groan, as Pansy glanced at a smirking Ash panicky, before she turned back to Thomas and smiled at him sickly sweet. "I can't wait," she said.

"Do you think that was to harsh? Or maybe to childish?" Ash asked Tracy when they returned to the Great Hall for lunch.

"No, it wasn't."

"But we're pulling innocent Dean Thomas into the mess, making him believe that Pansy loves him."

"Trust me, he'll be happy when it turns out as fraud."

"I guess."

"So what are we gonna do next?"

"Hmm, well I was thinking about making her confess something..."

"Oh come on, at least _we_ know that its not true," Ash smirked at Pansy.

"True, true, we could also make you confess about that little fetish of yours... but we don't want the younger ones to get sick now, do we?" Tracy followed up and shuddered.

"Yeah, definitely don't want that," Ash agreed, eyes wide in horror. "Personally I wished I didn't know."

Pansy was standing in between the two girls with clenched jaws. "Then you shouldn't have read my diary."

"But it was so much fun!" Tracy chimed with a little tap on Pansy's head. "But back to the subject at hand. You know what to do?"

"...Don't you think that confessing my 'undying' love for Thomas was enough? - especially because I have to follow through on this the whole bloody week?" Pansy said in a pleading voice. "Do you really have to make me do this?"

Ash's face hardened, "Pansy, be honest. If you were in my situation. You'd probably have me skipping through the school naked, singing 'Barbie Girl', and make a move on Dumbledore . What I'm making you do, Pansy, is child's play. Furthermore," Ash added, "you'd have me make a fool of myself every second of the day, I'm just giving you a bit of vendetta once or twice a day."

Pansy glared at her words.

"So, now go out there and make me proud," Ash smirked and shoved Pansy into the Great Hall - following after her.

Pansy looked back at the two friends one last time before she climbed up on the Slytherin table and started yelling, trying to catch the attention of the student body. "People, Guys! Listen! I've got an confession to make!" she shouted out loud.

While watching Pansy, Ash sat down next to Draco. "In a way, I respect that girl. Whatever it is, she has the pride and honour to see it through," she said, leaning into Draco's chest.

Tracy glanced over at her. "You call that honour and pride?"

"What would you call it?"

"I'd say, she doesn't have any self respect."

Ash smiled. "No. That's not true. This is the first time that I actually see her show self respect," she argued and watched as Pansy stood on the table, the faces of the student body turning towards her.

Ash saw Pansy give her one last look and Ash smirked, just like Pansy did. "I knew she had self respect," she sighed, "But this will give me at least a week of detention."

"Alright, I hope you're all listening! I have a confession to make! As you might have noticed I've been behaving weirdly in the last few days." Murmur went through the crowed and Pansy eyed Ash, as she slowly stood up. "That was because - " Ash jumped onto the table and ran towards Pansy, hitting her full force when was about to say more.

Without stopping Ash ran down the length of the table - Pansy hanging of her shoulder - jumped down on the floor and raced out of the door.

When they reached the nearest girls bathroom she stopped and let Pansy down.

"Wow," Ash breathed heavily, "your heavier then you look." Pansy stared at the girl in shock.

"Why did you do that?"

"And let you confess that I'm blackmailing you?" Ash laughed. "That would mean expulsion for both of us!"

Pansy's eyes narrowed. "Oh do you think I wouldn't have shown them the tape?" Ash rolled her eyes.

Pansy's eyes shone with pride. "I stole that tape," she smirked. "Now if you would excuse me, I have to make sure your kicked out of this school."

Ash looked at Pansy as she passed her and wanted to go out of the door. "Are you sure that you want to do that?" Ash asked, just when Pansy touched the door handle.

"Why would I not?"

"Because I have the tape."

"I just told you that I stole it."

"No, no, no. You stole a _copy_ of the tape. I have the original right here," she said and pulled out the recorder. Slowly she pressed play.

_You should be careful with what you say to me. I've already hurt you once and will do it any time again..._ the recorder blurted out.

Ash saw Pansy look at her in shock. "But, but..."

"I always knew you weren't as stupid as you pretended. I made copies of the tape," Ash smiled and walked up to Pansy. "But I must say, I'm proud of you," she said and gave Pansy a peck on the cheek. "I never really did imagine that you'd have the guts to confess it in front of the whole student body. I believed that you'd go to a teacher. But I'm quite happy that you tried. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to save us both from expulsion."

Pansy stared a Ash in awe.

"But I understand that this wont be the last time that you'll do this if I continue to blackmail you... I guess we'll have to end this here."

"So you'll give me all the tapes now and stop blackmailing me?"

"No. I won't give you those tapes. Their my safety card that I am able to trust you not to say anything about this little incident. However, the blackmailing will definitely stop. No more pretending to like Dean, no more confessions, nothing. Deal?"

Pansy scrunched her face together. "Deal," she spat and pushed Ash out of her way.

Ash still had her back turned to the door when she heard the door fall close. Silently she sighed. "Well, that was a short blackmail," she mumbled to herself, before turning to the door and opening it. "Oh and Peeves. I'll get the bloody Baron to beat you up if you tell anyone what you've heard in here," she yelled into the bathroom before walking out and following Pansy back to the Great Hall.

"Oh hello Professor," she said as she bumped into Professor Snape as her rushed out of the door.

"Ah, Miss. Weasley, just the girl I've been looking for. What was that commotion with Miss Parkinson about?"

"Um, we had a little misunderstanding," she answered smiling.

"Well, both of you will have detention everyday until the Christmas Holidays start" he glared and stalked past her.

Ash shrugged and went back into the Great Hall to her friends. It could have been worse...


	30. Chapter 29 - Detention & Christmas Plans

Tracy and Blaise eyed Pansy warily as the dark haired girl passed their group. They've known Pansy for so many years, yet they never imagined that she would have the guts to tell on Ash, who definitely was the stronger personality.

"I still can't believe that she tried that!" Tracy sighed and shook her head in disappointment - she was actually having way more fun than Ash with thinking up nice little tasks for Pansy.

Ash laughed at her friend's dismay and gave her a small side hug. "Oh, don't worry, we'll still have our fun with her," she chuckled and looked in Pansy's and Daphne's direction. "But first, I have to go to my wonderful detention," she added and stood up from her place on the couch.

"Oi, Pug-face! Are you coming?" she yelled at the other girl.

"Where should I go with you?" she snarled, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the Weasley.

Ash raised an eyebrow, "detention?"

Pansy scrunched up her face in displeasure and sigh, "we have that together?"

"Duh, we had our little misunderstanding together. I bet that we will have to do some kind of pair therapy activity to make sure that we become friends once again," Ash speculated and rolled her eyes.

Pansy groaned, but slowly stood up to follow Ash out of the common room.

"You know, this all wouldn't have happened if you hadn't tried to rat me out."

"I wouldn't have had too, if you wouldn't have blackmailed me."

"Well, I wouldn't have been able to if you hadn't given me a chance if you wouldn't have tried to hurt me."

"-and succeeded," Pansy added grinning. "But you wouldn't have given me a reason to do that, if you hadn't stolen Draco from me."

Ash stopped short and turned around to look at Pansy. "Stole Draco from you? Hell, you all but pushed him at me. Or do you honestly think that a guy like Draco wants a girl that crowds him every second of his life?"

Pansy glared at Ash with hateful eyes. "I did not crowd him," she spat.

"Course you did. Draco here, Draco there, 'Oh Dracie look over here!'" Ash rolled her eyes and started walking again. "You crowded him, that's a fact."

Pansy glared at the blonds back as she began trailing after her again. "Why did you have to come to this school? My life would have been so much better if you would have just stayed in Germany where you belong…" she muttered.

Ash tried to ignore the comment as she walked into the direction of Professor Snape's office. Nevertheless, the comment hurt. It wasn't because of what Pansy said, but what it made her think about. It reminded her of her parent's death; it reminded her of friends in Germany, Kat and Jeremy that forgot all about her; it made her think about what life she would be leading now, if she had never met Patrick, if Kat and Jeremy could still remember her…

Would she still be best friends with Kat? Would they be joking around and playing pranks together right now? Would she be impatiently waiting for school to end and to finally go home, meet her parents again?

Did her friends – even though they couldn't remember her – miss her? Miss their long forgotten friend? Did they know that they forgot somebody, who was once important to them? What were they doing right now?

She couldn't answer those questions. Not any of them and it hurt trying to think of the possibilities.

Ash sighed silently and quickened her pace to detention. The sooner she had something to do, the sooner she could block out those thoughts.

"Hey don't walk so fast, Weaselbe!"

"Oh, shut your trap Pug-Face."

When the two bickering girls reached Professor Snape's office and entered, they saw something that scared the wits and any comment that was about to be made out of their mind. When they entered they saw a smiling Snape.

"Ah, just the girls I've been looking for," he chuckled.

Seeing their shocked faces he sobered up once again, returning to his usual monotone voice. "No need to look so scared."

"Sorry Professor, but a detention that makes you smile… has that effect," Ash told him truthfully and Snape raised an eyebrow at her.

"Really? Well, I guess one would not really want to do what I have in mind for you two," he agreed and held back a snicker by slightly shaking his head.

"Now, you two will be serving detention with me in this room for the next three days – there aren't any classes or something similar on Friday. Therefore, no detention on Friday either. For the next three days you two will be standing outside of my office door at stroke five and will be serving your detention until you competed the task that I have in mind for you, is that understood?"

Pansy nodded, while Ash bit her lip, "but Professor, I have Quidditch training and extra-curricular courses," she argued.

"Well, it's your own fault then for getting yourself into trouble, isn't it?" he snapped at her.

With a guilty face she looked down at the floor, "yes, sir."

Snape eyed the Beater of the Slytherin team. He always did like this girl. She was one of –if not the – best students he ever had and she was part of his houses Quidditch team. _Also, she plays the part of the rueful student quite well,_ he thought.

"Alright, you can forget about your little extra-curricular courses, but your excused for the Quidditch practices," he sighed. "But," he added, "I want you to come here straight away when your training ends. Do you hear me?"

Ash's eyes lit up as she looked at him and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes sir!" she cheered, while Pansy's jaw dropped about ten feet.

"But sir!" she tried to reason, but Snape cut her off with a glare.

"Now, as for your detention task, its sitting over there," he said sitting back down at his desk and nodded towards a gigantic pile of paper on one of the back and tables that was threatening to fall down any second now. "They are the end of semester tests. You will be correcting and grading them," he told them and turned to his own pile of paper, she guessed the seventh year papers.

Slowly Ash turned to the piles and started walking towards them, Pansy right next to her. "Oh, and before I forget, Miss. Weasley you will start with sixth grade, while Miss. Parkinson will be in charge of the first year papers."

"Why does she get to do the sixth years?" Pansy said angrily, she was about to take the sixth year papers.

"Because you're too stupid," Ash chimed while she took her designated papers.

"Who asked you?" Pansy glared and turned back to the teacher, who had been watching them out of the corner of his eyes.

"She's correct, Miss Parkinson," Snape answered her and turned back to his papers. Pansy's mouth was hanging wide open, before she snatched her pile of papers and raced to a seat.

Snickering Ash walked to her own table and started correcting the papers.

**1. What do you need to do a Polyjuice Potion?  
****_lacewing flies, 2 leeches, 10 scruples of fluxweed, 3 drachms of pulverised Sal Ammoniac, Pulverised blades of knotgrass, a pinch of powdered horn of a Bicorn, Salpeter, Mercury and Mars, dried skin of a Boomslang, Extract of person you what to transform to._**

Ash started at the answer with a scowl. Then she checked how many points where possible. 15… Ash gave the person 5. He had forgotten one fatal ingredient – the Antimony – and had forgotten a few important details in the named ingredients or had failed to say the right amount of ingredients needed.

**2. Name two characteristics of Amortentia.  
****_1. They smell differently to everyone  
2. The color_**

Ash stared at the answer. This person didn't want full marks do they? She asked herself as she gave the student 2 out of 4 points.

It went on like this. Every time she read the answers of her peers, she started to understand her Professors more and more. Finally she understood why they always were in a bad mood. Even she was starting to get in a bad mood, and it wasn't her that tried to teach these people about Potions.

After two hours, Ash finally finished correcting the papers of the sixth years. Thinking back, she only gave full marks at 10 questions or so, and the papers alone had 30 questions added that to the 40 students in the sixth year… she didn't grade easy.

But hey! It's Snape's class, she was allowed to.

Sighing, she let her head fall onto the desk. "I don't ever want to become a teacher!" she cried, earning a chuckle from the Professor.

"You finished?" he asked, raising and eyebrow.

"Yes," she answered and took her head of the papers, as Snape levitated one of the tests over to look at it.

Quietly he scanned over the paper. "Good job, Miss. Weasley." he said. "Miss. Parkinson, how far are you?"

"I'm halfway done," she said proudly. Silently Snape levitated one of her own corrected papers over to him and scanned through them as well.

However, unlike his expression as he read through Ash's grading he started to look angry. "Miss Parkinson! Did I really let you pass the O.W.L.S? How can you be so stupid! You can't even answer first year questions!" he screamed and smashed the paper into the desk.

Pansy looked at him scared.

Ash saw how he tried to calm himself by clutching the table, before he ripped a piece of paper and started to scribble something on it angrily.

"From now on you will serve your detentions with Filch. Go to him and help him clean whatever he is cleaning right now!" he fumed and threw the note he scribbled at her.

Pansy fetched the note and ran out of the classroom, crying.

Ash stared after her quietly.

"Quit the act, Weasley. I know you want to laugh at her," he said, slowly calming down.

Ash smiled at him. "Is it really that bad?"

"You'll see soon enough, you'll be re-correcting her stuff." he said and allowed Ash to levitate the paper over to her own desk, together with the pile of papers on Pansy's desk.

Slowly she read over what Pansy failed to correct.

**1. What is a mixture of ingrediants called?  
****_concoction._**

'Correct' Ash thought, then she looked at Pansy's points. 1 of 1 points.

**2. Where is moonstone used?  
****_Moonstone is used in various potions, for example the Draught of Peace._**

'Wow, a seemingly intelligent student!' Ash thought happily and then saw that Pansy had only given the girl 0 out of 2 points for a correct answer.

Ash shook her head in dismay and changed the points from 0 to 2.

**3. What does the elixir of life do?  
****_It lengthens your life. If consumed frequently you are near to immortal._**

Again, Pansy gave the student 0 of 3 points. Ash sighed and gave 2 out of 3 points.

And it went on and on and on. When she looked at the pile of papers that still sat on the desk she sighed in defeat. This will be a long night…

When the clock stroked 12 o'clock, Ash was still sitting in front of the papers correcting them. She had finished re-correction and correcting Pansy's pile of papers as well as the second year and was currently in the middle of correction the third years papers.

"How is it going?" Snape asked her when he saw her stifle a small yawn.

"Quite well, I guess. In nearly finished with the third years."

"Alright, then finish them up and you can go for today." Ash nodded with a smile and turned back to the paper in front of her. She had vaguely noticed that a pile of papers had levitated to her professor at one point in time, and guessed that he had had mercy with her and corrected the fourth year papers and the fifth year papers himself.

The groan that came from his desk every now and then confirmed her suspicion.

About an hour later she had finished her task and let herself sit back with an content sigh.

"When does your Quidditch training end tomorrow?"

Ash turned to look at Snape, "At seven."

"Alright, come here as soon as possible after the training." Ash nodded courtly while she stood up and stretched.

"Good night, sir," she said with a small smile.

"Good night, Miss. Weasley," he told her, before she walked out of his classroom.

Tracy woke up when Ash entered her bedroom.

"Hey," she said, not caring if she woke up the others.

"Hey."

"What time is it?"

"Um... I think somewhere around 1.30," Ash told her casually.

"1.30!? Isn't there like a rule that says their only allowed to keep you until 12?"

Ash shrugged with a frown. "No idea."

"What did you do any ways?"

"I corrected the midterm papers."

"What did I get?"

"You don't have potions."

"Ha! You're right!"

Ash rolled her eyes at her friend while she finished changing into her night gown. Then, with a short stop at the bathroom to wash her teeth, she got into Tracy's bed.

"I'm not tired," she told her friend, who scooted over and closed the curtains after Ash, preparing for one of their nightly talks.

Not uttering a word Ash made the curtains sound proof.

"Is Pansy already here?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, she came about two hours ago. True, why didn't you come at the same time? Didn't you have detention together?"

"Well, yes and no. You know Pansy. That girl doesn't have and ounce of intelligence in her. Well, she couldn't even correct first year papers. Hence, when Snape saw her incompetence, he threw her out and made her go work with Filch," Ash laughed.

"Wow, Snape really thought he could make her correct things?"

Ash nodded with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

"But enough of the detention! What did I miss?"

"Nothing really. We're quite boring when you're not around." Tracy sighed. "We just kind off sat there and talked about our Christmas plans."

"Oh! What are you doing for Christmas?"

Tracy frowned at her friend. "I didn't tell you yet?" Ash shook her head no. "Well, I'm going home and then me and my parents are going on a trip to South Africa. Its the first family trip since I started attending Hogwarts! I'm so excited... just me and my parents! Hey, did you know that they have summer when we have winter! Hence, I'll come back crispy brown" Tracy grinned and laughed.

"Wow, that sounds awesome! I'm jealous!" Ash sighed.

Tracy laughed, "You should be!"

"What are Blaise and Draco doing?"

"Um, Blaise was going home, but I don't think he had any specific plans yet. As for Draco... he's going home as well. His parents had something important to tell him or something like that."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Crabbe and Goyle? As far as I know they're going home as well." Tracy shrugged. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I don't really have anywhere to go, so I was planning on staying here."

"Here? As in Hogwarts?"

"Yeah."

"All alone?"

"Well I wouldn't really be alone... Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione are staying here as well. I guess I'd be hanging out with them."

"But you'd be all alone in Slytherin!" she cried.

Ash giggled, "I'm sure _someone_ from Slytherin will be staying here."

Tracy pressed her lips together, signalising her displeasure. "No, no, no. Not good. You will not be stuck here over the Winter holidays!" she declared and got out of her bed. "Come," she said and took Ash's hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Where having a crisis here! We're going to discuss this with the boys."

Ash frowned at Tracy. "Tracy, really it's no problem for me to stay here. I like it here."

"Not an option," she declared and pulled Ash out of the bed, when she didn't make any move to get out herself.

Briskly Tracy raced out of the door, pulling Ash after her, and down the hallway. In the boys hallway she silenced the screaming portrays and raced to the boys door. Without a warning she threw it open and walked up to Blaise's bed first.

Pulling away the curtains, she revealed an contently sleeping Blaise. Ash would not have been able to wake him, he looked so happy in his sleep, but Tracy mercilessly spurted ice cold water out of her wand and onto his face.

Shocked his upper body flew upwards and he looked around frantically - not seeing the two girls standing right in front of him. "Wha- What?" he asked confused as he finally found a glaring Tracy and an guilty looking Ash next to his bed.

"We have a crisis. Wake up." Tracy told him before storming over to Draco and waking him in the same brutal way.

"I'm sorry," Ash whispered to Blaise as he yawned and wiped away the water from his face. Silently he shook his head and got off of his bed. Slowly he and Ash walked up to Draco's bed, where a half asleep Draco - with brutal bed hair - yawned at them in greeting.

"Didn't you sleep well?" Ash asked as she let her fingers softly run through his hair. He smiled up at her.

"Why do you ask?"

"You look as if you've been rolling around a lot."

"No, I actually slept quite well." he told her with an tired smile. She didn't quite believe him, but didn't comment any further. He'd tell her if he wanted to.

Quietly she sat down on his bed, cuddling into his arms. The other two also sat down and pulled the curtains shut and sound proof.

"So, why did you wake us? Whatever it is, couldn't it have waited until tomorrow?" Blaise asked.

Ash nodded, "I tried reasoning with her, but no chance."

"It's terrible! Ash doesn't have any holiday plans! She was actually thinking about staying here!" Tracy gasped, making the boys look at her with raised eyebrows.

"That's why you woke us up? At 3 o'clock in the morning?"

"2.37," Ash corrected her boyfriend with a cheeky grin. The correction was received with an tired roll of the eyes.

"Whatever."

"It's horrible! We can't leave her here all alone."

"I wouldn't be alone! My family is here!"

"Not good enough." Tracy dismissed that argument.

"My _family_ isn't good enough?"

"Nope, not good enough a reason to actually spend it here in Hogwarts. _Nobody_ spends their holidays in Hogwarts."

"My family does nearly every year."

"We've already had that. You will not be the only Slytherin that'll be stick in Hogwarts with the teachers and a couple of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. No, no, I won't allow it."

Ash sighed and looked at Draco for help.

"I agree with her," he said "You shouldn't have to spend your time here alone."

With wide pleading eyes Ash turned to Blaise. Unlike the other two, he already knew her whole story and looked at her with concerned eyes. "I think it would be better not to leave her here alone either."

With her last hope gone, Ash let her head hang low and just listened to the three of them discussing what to do with her.

"Draco, how about you take her with you? She's your girlfriend after all," Tracy said, but Draco shook his head in despair. "I would love too and had the same idea before tonight, but they said that it was essential for me to come alone. I have no idea what they want. Although they did say that they would like to invite her over to dinner one evening." he said, squeezing his girlfriend a bit tighter. "That means that you can't stay here anyway," he whispered into her ear.

"Meet your parents?" Ash said, with a light frown on her forehead. "Are we already at that stage?"

Draco chuckled and nodded into her neck.

"OK..." she said, getting a couple of goosebumps. Meeting the parents... somehow that thought scared her a bit.

"But she can't stay the whole time?"

"Sadly not, although I'd love to have her there." Ash looked up to him with a smile and placed a small kiss on his lips.

"No problem."

"How about you Tracy, can't you take her?"

Tracy shook her head. "I'll try asking my parents..."

"No way, Tracy!" Ash said determined. "You were looking forward to just spend time with your parents! I will not ruin that for you!"

"You wouldn't be ruining it!" she argued, but Ash just raised her eyebrow at her.

"Whatever, I'm not going with you."

Tracy frowned, "that means, there's only one option left." Six eyes turned to Blaise.

"Sure, why not. I'll write my mother tomorrow that I'll be bringing a friend over for the holidays."

Ash looked at Blaise. "Are you sure that's not a problem?"

Blaise nodded with a small smile. "Definitely. We don't have any plans and if Draco will be busy with his parents, I wouldn't have anything to do anyway. Hence, you'd actually be doing me a favour!"

Ash smiled at Blaise. "Thank you."

"Your welcome."


	31. Chapter 30 - Friday

Today was Friday

Today was the 20th of December 1997.

Today was the last day of school, before the winter holidays started...

"Your going where?" Ron asked Ash disbelievingly.

"I'm going to Blaise's place in the holidays," she told him.

"Zabini?"

"Yes. Blaise Zabini."

"But I thought you wanted to stay here?"

"Yeah, that was the plan, but... Blaise invited me over and I thought, why not? I mean, I'm here all the time and nobody from Slytherin is staying in Hogwarts over the holidays."

Ron's lips thinned as he looked at his cousin.

"Ron, I'm not asking you to permit me to go, I'm just telling you so that you know."

"Yeah, I know... just be careful, alright?"

"Whenever am I not?"

Ron crooked his eyebrow at her, "you really want an answer for that?"

Ash looked at him with a goofy grin, "no, not really."

"When are you leaving?"

"The train departs tomorrow at 11 o'clock."

Ron nodded. "Are you really sure, that you want to go there? You could always go home to the Burrow. I guess, we could go home as well..."

"And ruin Molly's plan on having a bit of fun time with Arthur?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"The twins and Charlie went to visit Bill, Percy's still a bitch and will celebrate in the Ministry and we are in Hogwarts. Hence, _finally_ they are all alone again. And as far as I know, they are still very in love with each other," Ash said suggestively.

Ron looked at her confused, until her words seemed to flick a switch. "Bloody Merlin! Why did you say that! EW! EW! EW!" he screamed and shook his red head furiously, goosebumps spreading on his arms.

Ash laughed hard at her cousins reaction, so hard that she had to clutch her stomach due to the pain.

While Ash was laughing and Ron was overreacting in disgust, Ginny walk up to them.

"Hey, What's so funny? Did Ron see a spider?"

"No, I just told him that I'll spend the Holidays at Blaise's. As he suggested that we should all go to the Burrow, I told him that I didn't want to disturb your parents fun time."

"Their fu-? EW! You are so disgusting Ash! How can you say something like that?" Ginny yelled stepping away from her blondish cousin.

Ash started laughing hard again, "you guys are hilarious."

"No," they said in unison. "You are just disgusting!"

Laughing hard, Ash shook her head at them. "Anyway," she said gasping for air, "I'll be leaving tomorrow with Blaise."

Her cousins looked at her. "You sure you don't want to stay here? Have a little fun with us?"

Ash raised her eyebrow. "Fun? With you guys? Is that even possible?" she joked, receiving joking glares in return.

"You'd be surprised how much fun we can be."

"Yeah, right. You'd die under the shine of my fun-ness!" she told them, making Ginny giggle.

"That so did not make any sense!"

"Well, it did to me. And as long as it makes sense to me, its correct." Ash declared and her family members laughed at her.

"Whatever you say." Ron chuckled.

"Exactly!"

"Ash!" they heard somebody call her name and as they turned to look at the voice, Ash saw Chase rushing towards her. Quickly she braced herself for the impact that came two seconds later as he hit her full force and hugged her tightly.

"Chase," she laughed. "Let go of me!"

"Not an option. You're going to build a snowman with me!"

"A snowman?"

"Yep"

"With snow?"

"What else?"

"Outside?"

"Well, inside would be a bit hard. The snow would melt"

"But its cold outside..."

"You'll live, sis."

Ash sighed in defeat. "Alright. Let me down then."

"Nope, I know you. You'd run away."

"So not true!"

Chase looked at her unbelievingly, before shaking his head and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Let me at least say bye to my _real_ family - the one that loves me!" she teased and made Chase walk a few paces back. "I'll see you later! OK?" she said, still hanging from Chase's shoulder.

"Yeah, we'll see you!... Have fun in the cold," they said and waved as Ash was forcibly carried away from them and out of the castle. When he reached their friends he let her fall into a pile of snow.

"You are so dead, you stupid freak!"

"Hehe, you'll have to catch me first!" he screamed and started running from the snow covered, freezing girl.

Quickly she jumped up and raced after the fleeing boy. "Come here I say! You stupid little prick!"

"Hahaha! You're tooo slow! Slowpoke! Slowpoke! Slowpoke!"

"What you little -? Now you did it!" Ash screamed and pulled out her wand. "Stupify," she yelled and Chase stiffened and landed face first in the snow.

Happily Ash ignored the boys body and went over to Draco, who was holding a jacket for her. "You know you did go a bit far there."

Ash rolled her eyes and muttered the spell to de-freeze him. "It's his own fault," she said pouting as Chase joined them again.

"You're stupid," he told her. While Ash watched him with an mischievous glint in her eyes. "Don't look at me that way," he said and watched Ash bend down to the snow. "You don't want to do that," he said taking a step backwards.

Ash crooked her head at him, "Actually... I think I do," she smirked and threw the snowball in her hands at the younger boy.

"Snowball fight!" he yelled and threw a ball of snow at her in return. Soon the whole groups was covered in white blotches of snow and were throwing the powdery white snow at each other.

When they stopped, it was already turning dark and they were wet and frozen from head to toe. "I think we should head back," Tracy suggested and they all agreed.

"Merlin!" Ash said when she saw the clock on the door. "It's already five! I totally forgot that the music class is having a performance tonight"" Ash cried and took Tracy's hand in her own. "Need to go! We'll see you boys in the Great Hall for dinner" she yelled back over her shoulder.

"Hey Ash!" somebody said behind her, as she and her friends sat at the dinner table and ate their food. Ash turned to see Amelia and Emily - another Ravenclaw that was in the music class - stand behind her.

"Hey!"

"Care to join us?"

"Join whom?"

"It's time to get ready."

Ash looked at Amelia, "Oh... Sure I'll be right there," quickly she glanced at her friends. "I'll see you later."

Her group nodded and watched her walk behind the Ravenclaw out of the Great Hall. When they closed the door behind them Ash saw that they all had already gathered, they where the last ones to appear.

She was the only Slytherin in the music group this year - they told her last year there where three - but she didn't mind. The people that where in the music classes where fun and she had no problem with any of them.

"Ash!" they people chimed when they saw her, a few of the younger ones came and hugged her tightly.

"Hey there! Are you all ready to go out there?"

"Nah," a second year Hufflepuff answered. "I'm not sure if I can remember the text!"

Ash chuckled, "don't worry about it. You'll remember as soon as you sing it!"

"I guess."

"Not guess, know."

The Hufflepuff giggled and nodded.

One of the other seventh years - Davis, a Ravenclaw - came up to Ash and slung an arm around her shoulder. "Are you sure that you are a Slytherin?" he asked her quietly.

"What else should I be?"

"I don't know... Hufflepuff?"

Ash looked at Davis with wide eyes before shaking with laughter. "Me?" she gasped, "Hufflepuff?" - she broke down laughing again. "That's definitely not an option. I'm way to ..." she glanced at the younger kids. "...weird to be a Hufflepuff."

"But your way to nice to be an Slytherin either."

"No I'm not. Slytherins are nice. The problem is you always pick out the few idiots we have in there and say that we're all like that."

"Alright, name 1 Slytherin that is nice, not only to the people in their own house"

Ash looked at him. "Tracy."

"Have you ever seen her talk to someone outside of your house, without a sneer?"

"Yes, when she joined us in Music."

"Any other time? - Maybe class?"

"She gets along with that other Ravenclaw girl..."

"Sandra?"

"Yeah that's the girl, I always see them talking."

"Tracy found out something about Sandra and is blackmailing her into doing a part of her homework." Davis said.

"Oh... Well, there's also Blaise"

"Arrogant prick, I don't think that he likes anyone except you and Tracy, maybe Malfoy, and he's definitely not nice to people... just indifferent"

Ash looked at her fellow musician. "Draco?"

"Do I really need to answer that?"

"Chase Orion."

"Your fellow beater?"

Ash nodded with a grin. "Did you ever meet him in classes or when he's not around you? That boy is worse then Draco when it concerns other houses. And that he has muscles does not help anyone either." Davis told her, leaving Ash to frown. Was Chase, her little Chase, really a bad ass... Ash cracked up at the image that formed in her head at that thought.

"I don't believe you," she told Davis.

"You don't have too, just ask Tracy - she knows everything, right?"

Ash pouted at Davis. "So your saying that I'm the only Slytherin that's nice?"

"Exactly."

"But I'm not nice," she told him with an sober face.

"Sure you are."

"No, I'm not, trust me."

"And what's not nice about you?"

"If you insult my friends one more time you'll know."

"Your friends are arrogant, mean, spineless pricks," he whispered into her ear.

Ash smirked at him. "Alright. You've had it coming," she said and turned away from him.

"I just insulted your friends and all you do is show me the cold shoulder? Wow, your such a mean person," he said sarcastically.

"You'll be saying that without sarcasm at the end of the evening, believe me," she said over her shoulder and ignored him for the rest of the time standing outside of the Great Hall.

After what felt like an eternity, Flitwick joined them. "We're about to start now. Is everyone ready?" They all nodded and Ash took the time to grin at Davis one last time. As he saw her, he felt a shiver run through his body - he'd never admit it, but at that moment he saw that she had the potential of being anything but nice.

The doors of the Great Hall opened and the music classes entered. It was your typical music concert. They lined up in front of the teachers table, with Flitwick at the front and Ash and Davis - as they where the best singers in the class - standing on either end of the group.

The snow was falling from the Hall ceiling, the candles lit up the room in a warm red glow, and their voices filled the room with Christmas spirit.

They sung Christmas Carols and Winter songs - including 'All I Want For Christmas', "When Christmas Comes To Town" and "That Holiday Feeling". The last song, was one of the last ones that they sung, and was a duet between Ash and Davis.

While the instruments started playing the songs, Ash and Davis stepped into the spotlight.

_Look how the snow is snowing  
Your eyes are soft and glowing  
Jack Frost is nipping at our feet  
I'll bet your lips are warm and sweet_

We've got that holiday feeling  
That happy holiday feeling  
Let's roast chestnuts by the fire  
Any little thing you desire

Those reindeer soon will be here  
Won't mean a thing to me dear  
When Santa Claus begins his flight  
I hope he gets a flat tonight

We've got that holiday feeling  
That happy holiday feeling  
Our favorite holiday of the year

You'd better leave  
It's been so lovely like this  
A chance I'd never miss  
But it's so late

On New Years Eve  
At 12 o'clock we'll stop to kiss  
And while the whole world will be whistle-blowing  
We will still be mistletoeing

You think you're such a smarty  
C'mon let's have a party  
I know what's running through your mind  
This is the season to be kind

We've got that holiday feeling  
That happy holiday feeling

So come and snuggle close to me  
Right here where you're supposed to be

Let's kiss cause it's the season dear  
Let's kiss who needs a reason dear  
We've got that holiday feeling now

When the song ended the crowd gasped and Ash looked at her duet partner in faked shock. Davis looked around his eyes stopping when he saw Ash, pointing to his lower body.

Confused he looked down himself and saw that his clothes had vanished...

Shocked he tried to hide himself and looked up at Ash, who looked back with an mischievous grin. Slowly she took of her cloak and handed it to him - playing the part of the worried and shocked, not knowing what just happened, innocent girl. When she hugged her cloak around him, she whispered, "Still think I should be in Hufflepuff?"

In return he just glared at her and ran out of the Great Hall in embarrassment.

She looked at her Professor in concern, "I think this is the end of the show, right?"

Flitwick ran a hand over his face and nodded, "yeah, it the end of today's show."

Ash saw how some of the people on the Ravenclaw table raced after their peer, and felt how another one put her hand on her shoulder. "Was that you?" Amelia asked.

The Slytherin looked at the third year student. "I don't know what you mean. I was singing when it happened."

Amelia looked at her uncertain but nodded, "if you say so..."

Ash joined her friends on the Slytherin table again.

"What the hell was that?" Tracy investigated when Ash sat down in front of her.

"He insulted my friends, he had to pay," she answered.

"You did that? While singing?" Ash grinned as a response. "That was awesome!"

"Thank you," Ash grinned and hugged her friend.

The newly erupted chatter stopped once again when Dumbledore got up to speak.

"Well, that was quite and interesting show Ladies and Gentleman. But on a different note, tonight is the last night before we are finally able to escape this school and have two weeks of home, family, friends and what I think you all will appreciate the most, no learning!" The crowed cheered.

"Alright, first a few technical things. The train leave tomorrow at sharp 11 o'clock, that means that you will have to get on the carriages at latest 10.30! Now if everybody got that, I hereby declare the Winter holidays to start!"

Again the crowd erupted in cheers before separating into their own common rooms to gossip about the Music classes show and celebrate one last time this year.

**Slightly random boring chapter, but it told you a bit more about the people! Hope you liked it! I'll soon start to become a bit more exciting, with actual action! XD Look forward to it!**


	32. Chapter 31 - Christmas Holidays Begin

When Ash woke up the next morning, she felt Draco's arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Nothing steered in the room, everything was quiet. Silently she reached out to grab her wand and checked what time it was. 6:30 it told her and Ash let her head rest on Draco's chest again.

Slowly she was getting frustrated with being awake so early in the morning. They hadn't even thought about going to bed at 2:00 and had gone to bed at 3:00 ... but they didn't sleep until 4:30.

Two hours of sleep. That wasn't healthy, was it?

With an annoyed sigh she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep again - Draco's steady heartbeat and breathing being her lullaby.

When she woke up again, Draco's breathing wasn't regular any more and she could feel someone looking at her. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up - crossing glances with beautiful icy grey eyes.

"Morning," the gorgeous boy, whom the eyes belonged to whispered in a soft and charming tone.

"Morning," she answered just as quietly. Slowly she turned her body, so that she was lying on her stomach and then she slowly slid upwards until their faces where only inches apart - eyes never leaving each other.

She felt the boys hand slowly wrap around her figure again and rest on her butt. The girl smirked as she picked up her hands and ran them through the platinum hair of the boy, pulling his head backwards ever so slightly and exposing his neck - on which she gently bit down.

She felt a moan erupt the boys throat and his hands tighten his hold of her - she had found his weak spot.

Suddenly light entered the dark cave they had slept in, as the curtains were pulled back. "Draco! Wake up! It's al-" Blaise saw a naked Ash straddling a naked Draco and both of them were looking at him annoyed. "already 9:45... We have to get ready if we want to catch the train," he said quickly turning away from the sight.

Ash sighed and leaned onto Draco, who pulled the curtains shut again. "I better get going," she whispered and searched for her clothes - that were spread on the bed.

"No, don't."

"Draco, we can't miss that train."

"If we're quick?"

Ash raised an eyebrow at him. "Quick?"

Draco nodded while Ash rolled her eyes, "I'm gonna go now."

Draco stared at her tight lipped while she put on her uniform and leaned in to give him one last peck on the lips before leaving - but he turned his face to the side, so that she only got him cheek.

"Oh, don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Merlin! Your behaving like a girl, you know that?" Ash sighed and shook her head before exiting the beds curtains.

Draco could hear her talk to Blaise for a minute before rushing out of the room and to her own. With a sigh Draco grabbed his boxers but didn't get out of the bed yet.

Was he really behaving like a girl? He didn't think so... and yet... something about her made him feel insecure. He had never been one of the jealous type, and yet he was jealous of every boy that only looked in her direction. In Blaise's and Chase's case, he often felt like killing them in a slow painful way - but he knew Ash wouldn't allow that.

Also, he was used to all those girl fancying him - doing what ever he asked for, as soon as he asked for it. Refusing to have sex with him, even if they were running a bit late... it never happened before Ash.

... Sometimes it felt as if it were she that was wearing the pants in this relationship... and he didn't like it...

But then again, it was Ash. Her smile, that mischievous and loving glint in her eyes, her silky softy strawberry blond hair, her perfect hour glass figure, her witty comments and her intelligence... it all belong to him because she belonged to him.

Still in an inner turmoil Draco silently slid off his bed, dressed and packed, getting ready for the long train ride home.

Meanwhile at the girls dorm, Ash quickly rushed into the room, summoned a few clothes out of her suitcase and ran into the bathroom and under the shower without stopping.

When she was washed and clothed, she came out of the bathroom, smiling at Tracy.

"Morning," she said cheerfully.

"And where if I may ask have you been, young lady?" she asked jokingly.

"Out?"

"Out where?"

"In a very comfortable cave?"

"Does the name of the cave by any chance rhyme with 'aco's 'ed?"

Ash laughed, "You didn't find any better rhyme?"

"Nope, not in the short time," she grinned. "Are you ready yet?"

Ash looked around herself, but she had packed up everything she needed yesterday. Quickly she nodded and took out her wand. Levitating their bags, Ash and Tracy calmly walked out of the bedroom, where they saw the boys waiting for them.

"Hey, my loves!" Ash called out as they neared them. "Sleep well?" she asked, smirking at Draco who in turn rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"You know I did," he whispered into her ear while hugging her from behind.

"You know Dracie, you became kind off a wuss since you started dating that thing," a annoyingly shrill voice behind them said with a sneer.

"Fuck off, Pansy," Ash sneered back.

"So you can't even defend yourself now, Draco?" Pansy snorted and turned to leave. They watched her leave with a glare.

"Don't listen to her, Draco. She's a stupid bitch," Ash said, turning to face Draco.

"Yeah, I know," he answered, still glaring at Pansy's back.

Together the group of them walked out of the common room and down to the carriages, making a short stop at the Great Hall to get some food for the way.

"Hey Ash!" she heard someone call out for her - why did they always call out to her? Ash wondered and saw Ginny, Ron and her friends from Gryffindor rush towards her.

"Hey there!" she smiled and walked up to them, her friends stopping and trialling after her. "What are you doing here?"

"Eating? And also we wanted to give you our presents, since you won't be there on Christmas." Ron told her and gave her a badly wrapped box.

Ash giggled as she took it and hugged her cousin tightly. "Thanks" she said quietly. "I don't have anything for you yet, but I'll send it to you with an owl," she told him and kissed his cheek.

"Here that's from me" Ginny said and gave her a green wrapped present.

Also Harry and Hermione gave her a present. "You guys are mean, did you know that?" she said looking down at the presents.

"Why's that?"

"I have theses presents in my hand and I'm not allowed to open them for four days!"

The four Gryffindors laughed and gave her one last hug before leaving her and the other Slytherins to eat.

Quickly they grabbed some food and left to get the carriages to the train.

"Ah! This is comfortable," Ash sighed happily leaning on Draco's chest. They had declared one of the bigger departments to be theirs.

Draco snickered. "Yeah, it is," he said and pulled her onto his lap. With a smile she nodded and snuggled into his arms.

"How long is the train ride again?" she asked her boyfriend quietly.

"Around 10 hours," he answered.

"10 hours? Wow..." she whispered. "We should have taken more food with us!" she cried, making her friends laugh.

"We can get food of the trolley when it comes along," Tracy giggled.

The train ride went by pretty quickly and soon they found themselves stuffed with sweets, outside of the train and saying their goodbyes to each other before hurrying to their parents.

"Blaise, I'll be right with you. I just want to say bye to Draco and hello to his parents. Alright?" Blaise looked at her and nodded with a smile.

"Draco!" she called, making him and his parents turn to look at her. Quickly she ran up to the three of them. When she was only a few paces away she slowed down and looked at the Malfoy's, swallowing hard - she knew that they were Death Eaters and it scared her a bit. But they where also Draco's parents, so she wanted them to like her.

"Hello," she said smiling.

They nodded in response.

"Mom, Dad, this is Ash, my girlfriend." Draco introduced her, when all three of them stared at Draco. "Ash, these are my Mom and Dad."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," she said with a pleasant smile and held out her hand for them to shake.

"Ash who?" Mr. Malfoy asked.

"What?" Ash asked confused.

"What's your last name, dear," Mrs. Malfoy prompted.

"Weasley, Ash Weasley is the name," she told them, her smile leaving her face as she saw the look in their eyes.

"And your a -?"

"Slytherin," Draco answered. "She moved from Germany to England this year."

His father looked at him shortly and nodded.

"Well, I hope we will be seeing you soon. My son did tell you that you are invited to join us in the feast's we are having on Christmas Eve and New Years? Also, we would... enjoy your company on another day, where you will be able to dine with us, and we can get to know each other better," Mr. Malfoy told her shortly, before he and his wife turned and started walking away.

"They don't like me, do they?" Ash asked quietly, looking up at Draco.

"As soon as they get to know you, they will love you. I know it," Draco told her and gave her a small kiss before following his parents out of the platform.

Gulping Ash looked around to see Blaise waiting for her with one of the most beautiful women that she ever saw in her life. Her skin was a light brown, perfect figure and a wonderful smile as she watched the Weasley walk up to them. When Ash neared them, she saw that the woman's eyes shone in a golden colour.

"Close your mouth," Blaise whispered into her ear, before turning to his mother. "Mom, this is Ash. Ash, this is my mom."

"Hello Ash. I'm happy to meet you, my son has been telling me about you a lot," she smiled warmly and glanced at Blaise for a second. "You're very beautiful, do you know that?" she asked Ash.

"Me? Um, well I know that I'm not ugly," she mustered to say while starring at the women with an shy smile.

"You need more confidence in yourself," she said.

"No, Mom. That is something she definitely has enough off," Blaise joked, winking at Ash, who grinned in return.

"Alright, more confidence in your looks than," she corrected. "Anyway lets go home," she said warmly and took her hand. Quickly they left the platform and walked up to an limousine.

The ride from London to Blaise's home took around one and a half hours. He lived in the south west coast of the UK, the nearest 'bigger' city being Plymouth and that was still very far away... Blaise had shown her on the map, he lived at the very edge of the UK.

Ash thanked Merlin for magical cars - otherwise the ride would have taken them at least another five to six hours.

During the car ride Ash didn't really say very much, she let mother and son catch up with each other. She watched the landscapes fly past her in a burr, never being able to tell what it was that they just passed.

About ten minutes before they reached the house, the car slowed down until it drove the normal muggle speed. Finally Ash could gawk at her surroundings.

They were driving along a forest road, before passing a gate. Behind the gate was a wonderful garden. Right now it was winter, and the snow was covering the landscape, making it seem like a winter wonderland. Snow covered palm trees decorated the driveway, and in the distance Ash thought she could make out an labyrinth.

"Wow," she said fascinated by this white paradise she saw rushing past them.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Blaise whispered into her ear scooting over to sit nearer to her.

"No," she answered soberly before smiling, "it's absolutely wonderful," she sighed

"You should see it in the summer," he said with a smile. "It has an ocean of flowers of any kinds imaginable."

"Is this really your garden?"

"Yeah."

"I can't even imagine the house than," she said quietly and continued starring at the white winter landscape that spread in front of her.

After a few more minutes of driving, a house appeared in the distance. Only that it wasn't a house... it was a gigantic mansion. It was three stories high and had gigantic windows along the side. Ash gasped as she saw the beautiful mansion near them.

"I can't believe you live in such an wonderful house," Ash said as they parked in front of the heavy oak doors that led into the house.

"Well, my mother is one of the richest witches alive," he said and took Ash's hand. Pulling her after him.

"Wait, what about our ba-" she said, but saw a group of house elves rush to the limousine.

"Will be taken care off," Blaise answered. "Mom! I'll show Ash around!"

"Do that, dear. Dinner will be in an hour though. Be sure to be there and dressed in time, honey."

"Damn... dinner. OK, I'll show you to your room first. It's right across from mine, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

"Would never dream of it."

"Good," he said while leading her around turns and through hallways, all having something absolutely unique in it. For example, there was this one hall they passed that had a vending-machine in it.

"Blaise... You have a vending-machine."

"What?" he said, not paying attention to his surroundings.

"A vending-machine."

"Oh... That's what that is? One of my mothers husbands brought that here..." he answered with a shrug.

"One of you mothers husbands?"

Blaise stopped and looked at her. "Did you really just ask that?"

"Yeah."

"You don't know about my mother? I thought I told you at one point," he said. "Well, my mom is a widow."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that."

"She's been a widow seven times already."

"What? Seven times? Your poor mother..."

Blaise raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't worry about it... She got over it quite well. It's the reason why we're so rich," he told her.

"I don't understand."

"And I can't believe a witch has not heard of my mother. She's infamous for marrying rich guys and those guys dying, leaving her with huge amounts of money."

Ash looked at Blaise, seeing his anticipation in his eyes, slowly it dawned what he was trying to tell her.

"Oh she..?"

Blaise nodded. "But don't worry, only her husband is at risk," he joked.

"Wouldn't have guessed," she said astonished. "Anyway. Do you think whatever is in this vending-machine is still consumable?"

"No idea..."

"I'll try it out later," Ash sang and pulled Blaise in the direction that they were just going. A few miles later they reached their rooms.

"Well, OK. I was lying, your room's not across from mine, but right next to it," he said, seeing her name written on one a little golden plate, that was put into one of the doors.

"I even get a name tag on my door?" she asked wide eyed and looked at Blaise.

"Seemingly..." Blaise said, also a bit confused, but he quickly shook it of. "You want to check it out?"

Ash nodded enthusiastically and opened the door to her room - closing her eyes in the process to heighten the anticipation.

As she opened her eyes she gasped in surprise. "Merlin! This room is ten times the size of my old room in Germany!"

Ash was looking at a large room that was fashioned similar to a suit in one of these five star hotels. One of the walls consisted of an gigantic window that lead to an balcony and showed the most beautiful view of the ocean. There was also a comfortable sitting area at one end of the room and a queen sized bed that decorated the other end. The room in general was kept in a very warm blueish tone, that blended into the sky and ocean. Next to the room entrance, there were two other doors. One was next to the bed, while the other one was next to the sitting area.

"The door by the sitting area, leads to your bathroom and closet - just think about with one you want to go to," Blaise explained. "The other one is connected to my room. So if you have any questions or need anything, just knock and come in," he said with a smile. "Your stuff should be in your closet. I'll get you for dinner in about 50 minutes," he told her and went to the door next to her bed.

"Alright, see you in a bit!" Ash grinned.

"Oh and before I forget!" Blaise said half through the door. "Put on something nice"

"Aye Aye sir!" she giggled mockingly, while he went into his own room, before she threw herself on the bed. It was nice and soft, allowing her to sink into the beds cushions.

Sighing contently she got off the bed again and walked up to the other door. Quietly she thought closet and opened the door, revealing a walk in closet in which her suitcase had been placed.

Kneeling down next to it, she opened the lid and plunged her upper body into the case. Searching through her different bubbles until she found her clothes.

"What to wear, what to wear?" she asked herself as she pulled out outfit after outfit. After a few minutes she decided to wear an elegant dark green dress, that showed off the curves.

Taking that, some underwear and her toiletries, she left the room and closed the door, thinking of the bathroom when she went through the door again.

Swiftly she took a shower and put on her clothes, with time to spear. Therefore, she started applying some make-up and experimenting with her hair until they looked absolutely perfect.

Walking back into her room she saw Blaise sitting on one of her couches.

"There you are!" he said as he heard her, turning around. When he looked at her his mouth stood slightly ajar. "Wow. You do know that I said nice, not gorgeous, right?" he said walking up to her.

"Is it too much?" she asked looking down at herself.

"A bit. But my mom will love it," he smiled and took her hand. "Come on, or we'll be late!"

And together they walked out of her room ad down the hall to the room where dinner would be served.


	33. Chapter 32 - Going to London

"Ah! There you are!" Mrs. Zabini said when the two of them entered a very comfortable looking dining room. Like the rest of the mansion, the interior was very modern. It had a marble floor, that held a leopard pattern on it - when Ash saw this, her heart skipped a beat, because her German house had exactly the same marble - and in the middle of the room was a black table that was set with four plates - white with leopard print on the rim -, leopard coloured knifes and forks and (normal) wine glasses.

"Sorry about the delay mom," Blaise said before going over to her and giving his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"No problem, my dear. Hector isn't here yet either."

"Hector?" Blaise asked a bit confused.

"My fiancée."

"Oh..." Blaise said, with an grimace on his face. Chuckling Ash put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah! Ash! How lovely you look! I must say green is a perfect colour for you. You should be happy that you got into Slytherin!"

Ash laughed at her comment. "Yeah I was quite pleased with the house colours I must admit. Red always seemed to make me look a bit like a strawberry."

Mrs. Zabini laughed at that. "Oh, I'm sure red looks wonderful on you as well, but green... Perfect."

"Thank you."

"And how do you like your room?"

"Its wonderful, Mrs. Zabini. Absolutely gorgeous"

"Ash, please call me Oriana - Mrs. Zabini always makes me think I'm old..."

"No problem Mrs... I mean Oriana."

"Good girl. Now come on. sit down and talk with me!" Oriana said and gestured for Ash to sit on the chair to her right, while Blaise took the chair to her left.

"So tell me. Why have I never heard from you before this year?" Oriana asked.

"Um," Ash hesitated for a second, looking at Blaise. "I've just transferred to Hogwart's this year."

"Really? And where were you before?"

"I was in an wizardry school in Germany."

"Germany? What was it called? You see one of my late husbands was from Germany as well."

"Schwarzwälderkirsch"

"Isn't that a cake?"

"Our founder was a sweet tooth," Ash said her cheeks getting a reddish tint.

"Well, I like that name. But sadly that's not the school my husband was from."

"Are you hundred percent sure he's German or that he went to school in Germany? Because as far as I know its the only school for the German talking society. Meaning that not only Germans went there, but Austrians, German Swizz and the people from South Tirol."

"Hmm... let me think..."

"Mom, do you mean Sebastian?"

"Yeah, him."

"He went to school in Denmark."

"Oh... wasn't that Ben?"

"No, he was American."

"True true!" she said, turning to Ash she added laughing, "can you believe that my son knows more about my husbands than I do!"

"Seemingly."

"So, now tell me. How do you like Hogwart's?"

"I love it. At the start it was a bit weird for me, I had to get used to the teachers, the house system, the accents and the walking, etc. but now that I got used to it. Its fun!"

"The walking?"

"Well you see, our school was in an hollow mountain and a lot of the class rooms and dorms were only reachable when you fly with your broom, hence we always used our broom to get from A to B."

"You must be a very good flyer then!"

"I do believe I am."

"Then you should take part in the flying competition that my fiancée is taking part in next week! I bet he could get you in there!"

"Flying competition?"

"The Annual Broom Race. Surely you must have heard of it!"

"Oh, of course I did! Your fiancée is participating? He must be very brave. Not many wizards actually survive the race."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, its a race in Sweden that goes for 437 miles from Kopparberg to Arjeplog. If it were just the distance - no problem, but the course runs through a dragon reservation. Hence, if you get an Dragon angry... lets say its not very healthy."

"Huh... very interesting."

"But I would still love to take part in that race once. My problem is that my cousin would kill me if he found out - and he definitely would find out. He's a Dragonologist."

"Well, just sign up under a different name and wear a cape. He won't notice until its to late."

"When did you say it was?"

"Next week."

"I'll think about it!" Ash beamed at Blaise and his mother.

"No you wont," Blaise said.

"None of your business."

"It is. Its a deadly race, I don't want to lose a friend to that stupidity."

"Oh, don't shit your pants Blaise. I only said I'd think about it."

"But I know that if you say you'll think about it the probability that you'll say yes is 99%"

"If you say one more word I'll say yes."

"No"

"Alright Oriana. I would love to participate in the race"

Mrs. Zabini looked from her son to his friend and back. "Well, Blaise does have a point. It is dangerous. Do you really want to risk it?"

"Yes, I've decided."

"Well, then there's nothing I can do. I'll ask Hector if he'll get you a place... Ah! speak of the devil!" she said with a broad smile and stood up walking over to the door, where a man in his early 40ies entered the door. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was very tanned - which looked a bit weird in the middle of winter.

"Darling. May I introduce, my son Blaise. Blaise this is Hector."

Hector held out his hand for Blaise to shake. "Nice to finally meet you"

Blaise looked at the hand and then at the man that it belonged to with a scowl.

After a few seconds, Blaise's face scrunched up in pain and he glared at Ash, who had just kicked his shin under the table.

"Be nice," she mouthed at him.

Rolling his eyes he took the man's hand.

"- and this is Ash," Oriana went on.

"Wow, Blaise has a very beautiful girlfriend," he said with a smile.

"Oh no, Blaise and I are only friends."

"So you're single?"

"No, I've got a boyfriend."

"But its not Blaise."

"Exactly."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean?"

"You'd be a nice couple."

"Um... thank you," she said with an awkward smile and Hector and Oriana looked at each other, shrugged and sat down as well.

"Honey, we were just talking about the race next week."

"Oh really? Do you want to participate Blaise?"

"No, but Ash was thinking about it," he said in a bored yet a bit aggravated tone of voice.

"Really? You like to race?"

"I live for it."

"Well, the entrances are already over, but I can see if I could get you on the list somehow."

"I thought that maybe she could take your place, honey. I wouldn't want anything happening to you when we just met," Oriana said in a sweet and velvet voice. "Our wedding is in the summer, I really don't want anything happening to you before that. You can always participate again next year."

Hector sighed. "I'll see if I can get you on the list, if not you can race instead of me," he said, smiling at the blond girl next to him.

"I don't know how I can thank you for this! I've been dreaming about it since forever!" Ash said beaming.

"No problem. I'd do anything for a beauty like yourself."

Ash's eye twitched a bit and her smile froze for a second as his words creeped her out, but she quickly hid it by turning to Oriana and asking what they would have for dinner.

"You'll know as soon as it appears," and just when she finished saying that sentence, four house elves rushed into the room, balancing plates above their heads.

"Rocket salad with melted goat cheese," one of their high pitched voices chimed and raced back to the kitchen to let her masters dine in peace.

"Guten Appetit," Ash muttered under her breath - she still wasn't used to not saying anything before eating.

During dinner they talked a bit more about their plans for the holidays, while eating lamb cutlets as the main dish and a chocolate mouse for dessert.

"Well, we didn't really think about that, did we?" Ash asked Blaise who shook his head. "We were invited to the Christmas party and New Years Party at the Malfoy's and also I'm going to have dinner with his family at one point. But other than that... " Ash shook her head.

"And now you've also got the race you've got to include into your plans!"

"Correct. So both Tuesday are booked by the Malfoy party's. And somewhere in between that I think I'll have dinner with them.. What we could do is a little trip to the Alps and go skiing!"

"Skiing? As in the muggle sport?"

"Yes. But its fun! Trust me in that!"

Blaise sighed "I'll try it."

Ash beamed at her friend. Best we do that next week end... By the way, when is the race?"

"Its on the 26th."

"Good," Ash cheered. "This will be so much fun!" she grinned at Blaise.

"Good Morning!" she yelled as she stormed into his room at eight o'clock in the morning and jumped onto his bed.

"Arrg..." was the only response she got - if you don't include the annoyed grimace and him throwing her off his bed.

"Hey that was mean!" she yelled and pulled herself up again. Her answer was a light snore as the boy fell asleep again. "Blaise?... Blaise... wake up. I'm hungry." Swiftly she pushed her whole body onto the bed and crawled towards the sleeping boy. When she reached his face she took a deep breath and yelled "BLAISE!" right into his ear, earning a bruised eye and cheek as Blaise's head snapped up in shock and hit the girls.

"Wh-What? What's happening? Who's there?" he yelled frantically looking around him, only a groan coming from below his bed made him look over the edge and see a blond girl curled up in a ball holding her face. "Ash?"

"Ouch."

"Merlin! What happened?"

"You happened. I just wanted to wake you up and get you to breakfast... but no you had to hit me for my niceness...Bastard..."

"Oh I'm sorry, I - wait ... what time is it?"

"Eight."

"And what day?"

"Sunday"

"Why did you wake me at eight... on a sunday?"

"Because I'm hungry... and already awake for two hours..." she groaned, still holding the left side of her face.

"Its eight o'clock in the morning on a holiday sunday... I take back the sorry. Now let me sleep"

"You mean person! I'm in pain because of you!"

"Nope it was your own fault. Now go back to your room and sleep."

"Such a meany... I'll go to get breakfast myself then," Ash muttered and went out of Blaise's room with a huff. "Now... where do I go from here?" she muttered looking left and right from her... she turned left and started roaming the corridors. Soon she had found the room they had eaten last night. '_Buhya! I rock this house'_ she thought cheerfully.

When she entered the house nobody was there yet, so she quietly went to the door that she thought lead to the kitchen and opened it. A horde of House elves froze in place and starred at her.

"How may we help you, my lady?" one of the chirpy little things asked her with a low bow.

"I would like some breakfast, if its not too much work," she said with a soft smile at the creature.

"No of course not, certainly not, my lady! It will be made right away. What do you wish to eat?"

"Surprise me," she said with a smile. But before she left them, she asked for a ice pack - her left side of her face was throbbing. After taking the ice from them she left the House elves to fret over her breakfast. Once the door closed behind her, she looked around the room, asking herself what to do while she waited for her breakfast to be served.

Bored she glided through the room and took in every detail, then she sat down at her table and began picking at her nails... When she got bored of that - which didn't take long - she stood up again and went over to the kitchen door again.

When she opened the door, hustling little house elves froze up again, looking up at her. "Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt... but could I maybe... watch you cook, or something like that?"

The house elves looked at each other.

"Whatever the lady wants," one of them said and gestured for her to enter and sit on a chair at the far end of the kitchen.

"Thank you."

Ash watched with interest as the little creatures hurried about and prepared her breakfast. She saw one of them make pancakes, another one was making mozzarella with tomatoes another one was making scrambled eggs with bacon... yummy...

"Excuse me miss."

"Yes?"

"One of the masters is in the dining room now, if you would like to join him?"

"Oh, sure I wont disturb you any further!"

"You didn't."

Ash just smiled at the cute creature in response and started making her way back to the door she had come through a few minutes ago. When she passed through it again, she saw Hector sit at the table reading the papers.

"Good Morning," she said smiling as she joined him at the table.

"Good Morning, Ash... What happened to your face?" he asked as he saw her holding ice against it.

"Blaise head butted me when I woke him up."

"And where is Blaise?"

"He should be coming soon," she smiled at the man, lying through her teeth. As far as she knew, he'd still be sleeping for at least two hours.

"Ah, alright."

"And where is Oriana?"

"She's still sleeping."

"Huh."

The awkward silence that erupted got interrupted by the house elves bringing in the heaps of breakfast they did.

"Thank you," Ash told them as they came in and allowed her to focus on the food in front of her, instead of the man that was creeping the living shit out of her.

After a few minutes of silence, Hector cleared his throat. "So, I've talked to the people who are doing the race." Ash looked up at him.

"Already? What did they say?"

"Well, they wont accept any new participants, but they said that you could race in my stead."

Ash smiled at him, "that is very nice of them and of you."

"Yeah, isn't it? I don't know why, but Oriana is very stubborn to not let me race this year."

"Well, its understandable, she doesn't want her fiancée hurt before the marriage."

"Yes, I guess it is understandable."

Ash smiled again and prayed for one of the others to join them here. She was unsure why, but she didn't like being in one room with him. He somehow reminded her of Patrick.

Silence fell over them again, until a grumpy looking Blaise entered the room.

"Blaise!"

Grumble...

"Have you slept well?"

"After you terrorized me earlier, I couldn't fall asleep any more... What happened to you face?"

"You head butted me."

"Oh... Sorry bout that."

"No worries, I just hope it wont show."

"To late for that. Your left half of the face is blue."

"Damn... Lets pray that its gone until Tuesday then! Anyway, what do you want to do today?"

"Lets go out."

"Sounds good! Where too?"

"London?"

"Will we aparate this time?"

"Yeah."

"OK, then lets!"

"Just let me eat first, OK?"

"Aye Aye sir!" she grinned and shoved some more food into her mouth.

Ash was excited about the trip to London. Not only because she loved London as a city, but because they where aparating there!

As soon as she finished eating, she raced up to her room to get a jacket and put on different shoes, before rushing to the entrance again and waiting for Blaise to finally show up, so that they could move.

When Blaise finally showed up, Ash couldn't hold her excitement any longer and was jumping up and down on the spot.

"Excited?" Blaise asked snickering, while Ash frantically nodded her head. "Good. Well we will get to London with two stops." Blaise told her.

"Two stops?"

"Yeah."

"Why so many?"

"You can go further?"

"Course. I can get to London in one go."

"From here?"

"No problem."

Blaise looked at her - face his usual arrogant way, but Ash could see a hint of respect in his eyes. "How far can you aparate?"

"Well, last time I checked I think it was about 1000 kilometres."

"What's that in miles?"

"Let me think... about 700?" she said uncertain, but with a grin on her face.

Still a normal person wouldn't see a new emotion in Blaise's face but Ash could see his shock at the revelation.

"I know I'm good... When I started learning it, I over did it a bit and tested my limits again and again that I became really good at it! My plan is to be one of the few witches that can cross the Atlantic one day!" she grinned at her friend. "So... do you want a ride? Or should we make the stops?"

"I prefer aparating alone."

"Whatever suits your boat," Ash smiled and looked over his shoulder at the pictures he was holding in his hands. "Those are our stops?"

"Yeah."

"OK. Then I'll see you there," she said and vanished with a silent plop.

Quickly Blaise followed Ash and appeared 10 meters next to her on the beach.

"Its nice here," Ash said quietly before looking at the next picture and vanishing before his eyes again.

"Merlin, why is she in such a hurry?" Blaise wondered to himself and followed her once again.

"So where our final halt?" Ash said when Blaise appeared beside her.

"Gringotts, Diagon Alley."

"You don't have a picture of the place we're going too, do you?"

"Haven't you been there before?"

"Nope, I still had all my school supplies from Germany and the uniform I have was borrowed from Ginny. We didn't have the money to buy new ones."

"Oh... well, best you ride with me then," Blaise muttered and Ash quickly took a hold of his waist, pressing her body against his.

Squeezing through the tube together Blaise and Ash quickly appeared in the middle of the Diagon Alley and moved away from each other,

"Exciting!" Ash cried and grabbed Blaise's hand before rushing from shop to shop staring at the different items the shops sold.

After about three hours of running across Diagon Alley, Ash was standing in Flourish and Blotts looking through the newest books, when she saw Draco pass by them together with his parents, a couple of other shady looking characters and... Pansy?

Gulping hard, Ash followed the suspicious looking group with her eyes and saw them turn into another alley together.

Quickly Ash looked around her, before swiftly running out of the book store and following her boyfriend into the dark alley he went into. When she passed the sign she read Knockturn Alley...

Silently she followed the dark roped group of five, wondering what Draco was doing with these people, but most of all she was wondering why Pansy was with them.

She didn't want to sound jealous or possessive or anything... but Draco was _hers_, Pansy had no right to be with him while she wasn't allowed to.

Growling she turned into her animal form and followed them unnoticed. When they walked into a shop named Borgin and Burkes, Ash wasn't able to follow them any further, therefore she searched for a way to look inside the shop, unnoticed.

After a few moments of sniffing around she jumped onto a low roof and was able to climb along the roof until she was able to see into the shop. In it Draco was looking at a big black cabin like thing, together with Pug-face.

She watched them look at every centimetre of the cupboard for the next two hours, while wishing Pansy every curse and jinx that she could think of.

Annoyed that she couldn't do anything against Pansy and Draco in that shop - together with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and those other weird people, Ash grumpily hoped of the roof and went back to search for Blaise, who was probably already worrying his cute little head off.

But what were Draco and Pansy doing in the shop? she wondered as she transformed back into her original form and wand-called Blaise, telling him where he could find her and that she wanted to go back home.


	34. Chapter 33 - Pained

On the way home, Blaise had to take Ash with him because she couldn't focus on the world around her, all she was doing was think and fret about what she saw in Knockturn Alley. After the second apparition, Blaise stopped and took Ash's hand, leading her to a little café not far away.

After they sat down and Blaise ordered a hot chocolate for the two of them, he turned to Ash in concern. "Ash," he said, "tell me what happened! It's not like you being so out of it."

"I know, I'm sorry... its just, I saw Draco today."

"Was that why you suddenly vanished?"

"Yes and no."

"What's the no?"

"He was with some really shady looking people and... Pansy."

"And you're more worried about the shady looking people or Pansy?"

"I know I should be more worried about the shady part - especially because they went into Knockturn Alley and into that Borgin and Burkes shop... but I can't help myself feeling betrayed when I see Pansy hanging on Draco's arm when I'm not around."

Blaise looked at his friend and took her hand in his. "Don't worry Ash. Draco may be a git, but he loves you. He would never betray you - especially not with Pansy."

Ash gave him a weak smile while looking at her hands. "You're right, I shouldn't even be thinking like that! In only two days I will see him again," she smiled at the thought.

"Exactly. So be happy and drink up!" Blaise said smiling at her.

After a few moments of silence, in which the two sipped at their hot chocolate, Ash looked up at her friend and said, "Blaise... You really are an awesome friend! I really must have done something right"

Blaise looked up to her and laughed shallowly. "Well, you were sorted into Slytherin - that should work as 'done something right,'" he joked grinning at Ash.

Again a comfortable silence fell over them, until Ash broke it.

"Blaise?" Ash asked.

"Yeah?"

"This is a muggle shop, right?"

Blaise looked at his friend and then around them at the other customers.

"Yeah."

"Do you have any muggle money?"

"No...?"

"How did you suppose we would pay for the drinks?"

"Um... I didn't think that far ahead..." he said honestly making Ash shake her head in disappointment.

"Alright give me a minute, I'll get some money"

"Where from?"

"The bank"

"OK..."

Briskly Ash looked around for an ATM and fished in her bag for the plastic card that her parents had given her at one point telling her that if she ever needed muggle money, she could use this. Quickly she pushed in the card and typed in her password before taking out the money and card again.

Thankfully she already had to use the card a few times - especially after Easter - therefore she knew how to work this thing. But the first time ... Merlin... she didn't even want to think about it!

As soon as she got the money, she hurried back to Blaise, who was looking quite annoyed by the muggle waitress that was swooning him.

Quietly walking up to them, Ash tapped the waitress - that had sat down on her seat - on the shoulder. "Sorry, but only because his girlfriend vanished for a minute, doesn't mean he's open for the taking," she whispered into the girls ear, making her jump up hitting Ash's nose in the process, blood started flowing out freely.

"Merlin, this is so not my day," Ash cursed as the waitress starred at her in shock not knowing what to do.

"Get some ice, stupid," Blaise bellowed at her, getting the girl moving, while trying to stop the blood flow without magic.

Briskly the girl came out again, followed by the manager, bringing Ash an pack of ice for her nose.

Gently placing it on her nose, Blaise listened to the apologies of the manager and the waitress. "You'll get the drinks for free of course," the manager said making Ash groan. Now she had gotten the money for nothing. "Would you like anything else?" the manager added but Blaise shook his head no.

"We're going to go now," he said with an icy tone and helped Ash stand up.

"Thank you for the ice!" Ash said to the manager as she got pulled away by Blaise.

"Why did you say thank you?"

"I was trying to be nice."

"After they nearly broke your nose?"

"Oh, come on. It's not broken!"

Blaise took the ice from her hand and looked at her face. "Are you sure?" he said concerned as he looked at it from every angle. "I don't think your nose looked like this before the elephant hit you."

"Really?"

"I think we should go to St. Mungo's..."

"Apparate all the way back to London?"

"Yeah... I think that would be the best way to go." Blaise said nodding and took a hold of her around the waist. "Also they can get rid of that bruise on your face..."

"If you insist," she muttered annoyed and let Blaise apparate them to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

As they stood in the line to administrate, Ash looked around a bit unsure, "do you think this is really the place to go with a bruise and a -not quite - broken nose?"

"Where else do you want to go?"

"I don't know... the doctor from next door?"

"We don't have a doctor next door."

"Don't take me so literal!"

"Excuse me, I think my friend broke her nose, can you have a look at it and give her SkeleGro and something against the bruise?" Blaise asked when it was their turn in line.

The nurse looked up at them annoyed - but it lessened when she saw Blaise. 'I guess he's hotter then I can see...' Ash thought to herself as Blaise pulled her along to the ward the nurse had told him to go too...

"Told you it wasn't that bad," Ash said.

"He still fixed it though - hence there was something to fix!"

"Yeah, the bruise you gave me this morning."

"Well you shouldn't have tried to wake me up."

"Whatever... What are we doing now?"

"We're heading home."

"OK... but I get to apparate us!"

Blaise sighed in defeat, "OK."

Excited she hugged Blaise tightly and thought about his mansion. A moment later they squeezed through a long tube and soon plopped up in front of the Zabini Manor.

"Home Sweet Home" she sighed.

Sunday night and Monday went by as if time had turned into a snail and was slowly crawling along. Ever since she saw Draco with Pansy in Diagon Alley she was burning to question him, to ask why he was spending time with the pug but not with her!

And yet she knew... even if she saw Draco this evening she wouldn't be able to ask him these questions that were burning in her heart.

She wasn't a hundred percent sure... but fairly certain that she really truly loved Draco and she was scared like never before of the answers she might get from him and what he might think about her when he know that she had followed him like some creepy stalker...

It felt weird these contradicting feelings and thoughts. Not knowing which one she should follow... Ash sighed as she got off the bed on Tuesday morning - not feeling the Christmas feeling she normally had on this day.

Today was the 24th of December.

Christmas Eve.

... The first Christmas Eve she would be spending in England - where you opened the presents on the 25th instead of the 24th.

... The first Chirstmas Eve she would not be spending with her family...

Silent tears escaped Ash's eyes as it dawned to her. She would never again spend this family holiday with her parents... No more evenings with Turkey and other weird things to go along with it... No more evenings of opening presents with her parents and then feverishly waiting for it to be 12.00 so that they could start celebrating her fathers birthday...

Her fathers birthday on the 25th of December...

Her fathers birthday was tomorrow... how... how could she forget?

Quickly she turned around and gently walked into Blaise's room.

"Blaise," she asked, softly sitting down on his bed.

"Yeah?"

"Could we... could we do a little trip to Germany tomorrow?" she asked whispering, having a difficult time to stop her voice from trembling.

Blaise turned around to look at her, seeing that she was silently crying while sitting on his bed. Swiftly he pulled her into his lap and allowed her to bury her head into his shoulder.

"Shhh..." he cooed into her ear. "What's making you sad?"

"I'm a bad person," she muttered into his chest. "I'm a bad daughter."

"What? Why would you say something like this?"

"I - I- I- nearly forgot my fathers birthday!" Ash cried, clinging to Blaise's upper body.

"But you didn't, did you? Shh.. everything is alright. When is you fathers birthday?"

"T-t-t-tomorrow," she cried pulling the word longer then it should be.

"Shh, see there's no problem at all. We didn't have any plans anyway. Therefore, instead of doing nothing, we apparate to your families..." he struggled a bit, "grave and wish him happy birthday. How does that sound?"

Ash looked up at her friend with watery puppy eyes, before getting a grip on herself again and smiling. "Yes... that sounds like a plan," she noticed that she was still hugging him tightly and quickly loosened her hold of him, pulling back. "Do... Do you think Draco could come as well? I'd really like my parents to meet him..." she said turning her head away from him.

As she wasn't looking, Blaise scrunched up his face, but he quickly sobered up before saying, "I'm sure he will."

Ash looked over her shoulder at her sleepy friend. "Thank you," she whispered quietly.

"For what?"

"For being my friend... and being there for me..."

"I'll always be."

Ash smiled at him with a sad smile, "I know."

_You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,  
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,  
But do you recall  
The most famous reindeer of all?_

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  
Had a very shiny nose,  
And if you ever saw it,  
You would even say it glows.

The song blasted out of Ash's wand as she was getting ready for the Christmas Party at the Malfoy Manor.

Singing along to Christmas songs and dancing to the beats, one would have not believed that it was the same Ash that was crying and clinging onto Blaise just a few hours ago.

But it was the first time she - officially- saw Draco again since the holidays started and she couldn't contain her excitement about it.

Quickly she glanced over at the bag where her dress was hanging inside and grinned at the thought of wearing it tonight and the gaze she imagined Draco to wear when he saw her.

She had gone shopping with Oriana on Monday, they went only to the finest of shops and Oriana insisted that - even though it was the most expensive dress in the shop - she'd buy it for her and that she must wear it to tonight's Christmas party.

She smiled at the memory. Blaise's mother was really one of the best. It was really hard to imagine her being an cold blooded husband killer.

She took a deep breath and focused on applying her make-up once again. She wanted to look perfect today and she definitely would.

When she finished her make up and her hair - which she had curled and woven into an open pony tail - she turned back to the bag with her dress.

Softly she glided over to the bag and pulled the dress out. Next she gently placed it onto the bed and beamed at it.

It was a pure white flowing gown with low back and a very nice cleavage. it was made out of white silk and on the back a thin layer of cloth spread on the floor around her. The only impurity on the white was the silver jewels and sequin train that decorated the upper rim of the dress and her breasts with wonderful patterns.

In awe she picked it up and slipped it over her body. Feeling the silk cloth ran up her figure and gently settled against every inch of her body as if the dress was tailor made for her.

Careful not to get any wrinkles into the dress, she sat down and pulled on 10 cm high white high heels - which she quickly magicked more comfortable then they really were, still she knew that by the end of the evening she would be in agony... but how do you always say?

_"Wer schön sein will, muss leiden!"_ - "Beauty knows no pain"

She gently giggled to herself and stood up from her bed again and walked to the window, watching the waves gently glide across the water before bursting into an explosion of water as they hit the cliffs.

"Wow," she suddenly heard someone say behind her, and she quickly turned.

"Blaise!" she said seeing her friend stand in the doorway in his best suit and looking beautiful like always.

"Wow!" he repeated and walked up to her with a smile. "You look gorgeous... no ... magnificent."

"Stop, your making me blush!" she giggled and looked down at the floor a bit embarrassed.

Blaise shortened the distance between them with two steps and now stood right in front of her, taking her chin in his hands and making her look into his eyes. "You look like an angel today," he whispered into her ear and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek which set out an electric current to run through her body.

Swallowing hard she let her lips form a small smile and took a gentle step away from him.

He was her friend, her best friend -true - but only friends.

Sensing that she was uncomfortable, he quickly took a step back as well - barely hiding the fact that her reaction hurt him.

"Lets go" he said quietly and offered her his arm, which she gratefully took.

"By the way," Ash said quietly as they left her room and started walking down the hallway. "You look rather ravishing yourself."

Blaise chuckled. "I always do"

That comment made Ash laugh and every ice crystal that had formed for a minute broke. "You, mister, have a _way_ too big ego." she giggled as she and Blaise joined his mother and her fiancée at the door.

They had decided to take the limousine to the Malfoy manor.


	35. Chapter 34 - Christmas Party

When they arrived at the Malfoy Manor - around an hour later - the sky was black and the manor was flooded in rays of light, making ever detail of the house visible even in the darkness.

It was an gigantic villa, though not quite as big as the Zabini household. It was fashioned in an early renaissance style - indicating that the manor was in the hands of the Malfoy for a very long time already.

Someone had conjured up snow around the house, making it and the landscape around it a sea of glittering white fluffy snow.

"Come on dears, lets get into the warmth," Oriana said warmly to the two teenagers, before closing her eyes for a second and putting on the mask of the rich and arrogant billionaire and model, that everyone thought she was, but Ash knew she only played.

She saw Blaise copy her and had to hold in a small giggle. But swiftly she followed suit and got in control of her every feature and emotion.

Gracefully the group of four advanced to the villa's entrance and rang the door bell. Swiftly the door was pulled open and they were granted entrance by a bowing House-elf.

"Ah! My dear Oriana! How wonderful to see you," Mrs. Malfoy said light heartedly, floating towards them. "And Hector! Always a pleasure," she added holding out her hand, which Hector took and gently kissed.

"All the pleasure is mine," he said flirtatiously, making Blaise and Ash roll their eyes and Mrs. Malfoy giggle like a horny teenager.

"Ah! Blaise, nice that you are joining us as well!" she said quickly moving on and giving Blaise a kiss on each of his cheeks.

"And Ash - I may call you that, right?" smiling Ash nodded.

"Please do."

"Good. Ash. How wonderful for you to join us. Draco hasn't stopped talking about you," she said her voice receiving an unwelcoming tone.

"I do hope only good," she said, trying her best to ignore the chilled feeling she got.

"More or less," Draco's mother said with a little laugh, but her eyes didn't laugh with her as she looked Ash up and down.

"You look very beautiful tonight," she said coolly.

"Thank you. May I complement you on your house? It's very exquisite."

"Thank you, my dear. If you excuse me..." she said stiffly, before placing a kiss on both of her cheeks and flying off too the next guests that just arrived. Ash could have sworn she heard the lady mutter, "As if a Weasley could distinguish between nice and ugly".

A bit dumb folded Ash looked at Blaise with a frozen smile and wide panicked eyes. "She doesn't like me, does she?" she asked - her mouth barely moving.

"No, no... she just needs to... get used to you?"

"Thanks for the try," Ash said with a sigh.

"No problem."

"You do know you failed miserably?"

"Yeah, I guessed."

"Good, just wanted to make sure... but did she really just say that?"

"About the Weasley? I heard it too."

"Unbelievable..." she said shaking her head and together they followed the other guests into the lounge which lead to the ballroom, in which the festivities were taking place.

As they strode into the ballroom, Ash could see Draco with his back towards her whispering into Pansy's ear.

Stiffening a bit she tugged on Blaise's arm, making him look at her. "Don't say anything to Draco about this," she said quietly.

"You mean about Narcissa?"

"Is that her name? Yeah, that and about Diagon Alley, understood?"

"Sure, no problem."

Ash looked up at him with grateful eyes. "Thank you, Blaise."

"You can always count on me."

Together they walked up to the teenagers of the party.

"Hey you guys!" Blaise said grinning, getting the attention of the group.

"Blaise! Ash! Good to see you guys! I'm happy you finally made it!" Chase said grinning at them. Quickly he picked Ash up from the ground and twirled her around in greeting.

When he stood still again, Ash giggled and pried herself loose of Chase grip, slapping his arm playfully.

"How have you been?"

"Quite good, I suppose... but without you its just no fun!" he whined, but quickly sobered up - standing straight - as he looked over Ash's shoulder. Confused she turned around and saw Draco standing behind her.

"Draco!" she called loudly, turned around to fully face her boyfriend and passionately pressed her lips against his. She felt him smirk before winding his arms around her body and pulling her deeper into the kiss.

When they needed air again, Draco rested his forehead against hers. "Hey Ash," - "Hey Draco," they whispered to each other a soft smile playing on their lips.

"Do you know that you look stunning tonight?" he whispered quietly.

"Only stunning? I think I look like the perfect being tonight," she joked and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"You certainly do," he agreed and took her hand, leading her away from the others.

"How are you?" Ash asked quietly, while she and Draco separated themselves from the crowed a bit.

"I'm doing quiet well," he said, rubbing his left arm.

"Does your arm hurt?" she asked concerned as she took his left arm in her hand. Quickly he pulled it out of her reach.

"No. No... It just itched a bit."

"OK..." she said concern still present in her voice. "So, tell me. What have you been up to?" she asked.

"Not much really. Mostly boring myself to death in my bedroom."

"Really? Also this weekend?"

"Yeah, but why do you ask?"

"I don't know... I missed you! I wish I could spend more time with you in the holidays."

"Yeah..." he said a bit uncomfortable. "I wish I could spend more time with you as well."

"But you just said that your not doing anything! How about we meet up tomorrow? It's my fathers birthda-" she started but was quickly interrupted by Draco.

"Sorry, tomorrow doesn't work I'm booked... My mom wants me to help her out with something..."

"And you can't do it another time? I mean, I would just love for my parents to get to know you, and what's a better time then my fathers birth-"

"No, sorry Ash. Absolutely not possible," he told her again annoyed.

Ash tightened her jaw, "alright... I just thought -"

"I'm really sorry Ash, but it's not possible."

"Yeah..." Ash muttered quietly to herself and looked at the floor holding back the tears. Slowly she took a few steps away from him and inhaled deeply. Quietly she muttered something about going to the toilet while smiling at the blond boy and quickly dashed past a confused Draco to the direction he pointed to when he heard the destination.

Rushing into the bathroom she quickly threw the door shut and locked it behind her.

Silently she slid down the door, holding back her tears - she needed to go out of the toilet soon and didn't want to ruin her make up.

Closing her eyes she put her head in her neck and then starred at the ceiling when she opened them again, willing the tears gone.

_He didn't even listen to me..._ she thought in despair and glared at the ceiling.

When she felt her eyes dry again and believed it to be save for her to walk out of the toilet and face Draco without falling tears, she stood up again and opened the door.

"Sorry that I took so long," she apologized to the lady next in line and casually walking past her and went back into the ballroom.

When she joined the group again, Draco was once again talking to Pansy. "Hey Pug-face, how has your weekend been?" she said walking up behind Draco and hugging his waist from behind.

Pansy's eyes narrowed at her.

"Don't call her that," Draco muttered and Ash froze.

"What?"

"I said you shouldn't call her that," he said again, only louder. "She's also a person you know."

"Um, yeah..." Ash said confused and gave Pansy a short glare. Shaking her head she let go off Draco and turned to join the other teenagers.

"No, Ash. I didn't mean it like that..." Draco said, wrapping her arms around Ash's waist.

"Then how did you mean it? Huh?" she said ripping loose of his arms and glaring into his eyes.

Draco gulped and she noticed that he was looking at the people around them.

"Oh forget it Draco!" she spat and stormed out of the room again. If he really wanted to talk, he'd follow her.

She was right, as soon as she reached the balcony and sent a house elf to get her and Draco's jacket, Draco stopped next to her.

"Did you really needed to make a scene in there?" he asked while catching his breath.

"That in there wasn't a scene yet, Draco and you know it. As soon as our jackets are here and we are outside you will know what a scene is!" she fumed at him and impatiently tapped her foot against the floor.

Only seconds later the house elf appeared before them and gave them their jackets.

Silently they slid out of the balcony door.

"What's up with you and Pansy?" Ash shot as soon as the door closed behind Draco.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh don't talk to me like that! Ever since I've came here, I can see you two in a corner whispering to each other!"

"We're friends, that's all," Draco tried to reason.

"Friends?" Ash shrieked. "Since when are you two friends? As far as I remember you still laughed with me when I called her pug-face only four days ago and now you tell me to not call her that - she's a human being? What the fuck Draco?" she screamed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Ash calm down," he said quietly.

"Calm down!? Calm down!? Why the _hell_ should I calm down," she screamed but then took a deep breath and the next words came out more of a plead, "Draco, please, tell me what happened in the past four days?"

"It's nothing really. Her and my parents are just really good friends... she's been spending a lot of time here and we started talking again," he said looking everywhere but in her eyes.

"Is that all that happened?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah, it is."

"So there's nothing going on between you and Pansy?"

"No!" he said finally looking her in the eyes with panic, "I would never do that to you," he assured her.

Ash looked down at the ground beneath her. "I believe you," she said and smiled at him with a small sad smile.

"Good," he said kissing her lips softly. "Now lets go back in. It's freezing out here!" he said with a smile and pulled her inside again.

When they entered the ballroom again Pansy swiftly joined then, making Ash stiffen again.

"Can't you try to get along with her?" Draco asked whispering into her ear and looking into her eyes pleadingly, while wrapping his arms around Ash's waist again.

"As far as I remember it wasn't me that started the fraud," she muttered and nearly chocked as Pansy nodded her head happily, saying how sad she was that they weren't friends any more.

Still, she smiled at Pansy and gave Draco a reassuring hug, while whispering into his ear, "I'll try".

She talked to Draco and Pansy for a short while, but soon pried off Draco's arms telling him she would go talk a bit with the others. Draco looked a bit annoyed at her leaving but nodded and let her go.

Promptly she and walked up to Blaise who was still talking to Chase and the Goons.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey Ash! Where have you been?"

"Here and there."

"Where were you and lover boy just now? Did you by any chance vanish into his room?" Chase asked, making Ash laugh.

"And look this perfect afterwards?" she joked, "No, my dear, also its the first evening I am able to impress the parental unit. I don't think it would really make me popular with them."

"If you say so..."

"The main problem, however as I see it, is separating him from the pug," she murmured incoherently and looked over her shoulder at Draco and Pansy who were talking to Draco's mother happily.

With an annoyed sigh she ripped her gaze from the sight and listened in to what the boys where talking about.

"Yeah the new nimbus is a blast!" she joined into the conversation, "I wish I had that!"

"Well who knows, maybe you'll get it soon!" Blaise joked and gently nudged her shoulder.

"Don't even indicate that!"

"Believe me, I didn't buy you a Nimbus!"

"I better hope so!" Ash glared at Blaise who just laughed and extended his arm to rub her head, but she quickly swatted his hand away and took a ninja stance. "Don't mess with my hair!" she growled, making the boys around her burst out laughing.

"Alright, alright. No touching the hair!" Blaise chuckled and raised his hands in a defending stance.

"Good," she said and regained her composed pose.

Silence spread for a bit, until Vincent - more commonly known as Crabbe - broke the silence. "Blaise said that you would be participating at the Annual Broom Race."

"Yeah, Hector was so awesome to let me take his place this year!" Ash beamed.

"Really? Damn it! I have to get my parents to go there and cheer for you!" Chase said before his eyes widened "That reminds me! My parents wanted to meet you!" he gasped and grabbed her hand before pulling her behind him.

A few metres later he stopped in his tracks, making Ash collide with him. "What the-?" she said before she noticed that Draco's father had placed himself before him.

"Miss Weasley," he said with a nod, which Ash hurriedly copied.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy, call me Ash," she said quietly.

Mr. Malfoy gave her a forced smile.

"Who is this beauty?" a cloaked figure asked in a hiss and appeared beside Draco's father.

The Malfoy stiffened nearly unnoticeable and glanced to his left with a short nod of his head.

"This in my sons girlfriend, my -" he said swallowing the persons name.

"Ah, he has very good taste," the cloaked figure hissed and a chill ran down Ash's spine as he extended his long spidery fingers towards her. "May I ask you name?"

"It's Ash."

"And what family do you belong to? I don't think I have seen you around."

"I'm a Weasley, sir," she answered quietly and reluctantly placed her hand in his.

"Draco is going out with a Gryffindor?"

"No, she's a Slytherin, my -" Draco's father quickly corrected and choked on the man's title - again.

"A Weasley in Slytherin... interesting, very interesting," the person seemingly hissed and let go of her hand.

Immediately she pulled her hand away and hid it behind her back.

"Ash," Mr. Malfoy said, requesting her attention again. "Draco told us that you want to become a singer? Is that correct?"

"Y-y-yes," she said, her body shaking softly of fear from the cloaked person, he creeped her out to no ends.

"Would you do us the favour of singing a song for our guests?" he asked with a smile and Ash nodded looking at Chase - who was still standing next to her - for reassurance.

"Thank you," Mr. Malfoy said, emotionless and gestured for her to follow him as he went to the band that was playing in once of the rooms corners. "This is Ash. She will sing a small song for us right now." Turning to look at her, he asked "What would you like to sing?"

"Um... Hallelujah?" she suggested as nothing better came to her mind.

Mr. Malfoy nodded curtly and gestured for her to take the stage. Swiftly he called for the attention of his guests. "Ladies and Gentleman! If I may just have your attention for a couple of moments," he said and soon the hall was quiet, everyone's attention on the host and the young women next to him. "If I may introduce, this is my sons girlfriend. She would like to enjoy us with a short song," he said bored and walked of the stage, not giving Ash another glance.

Standing on the stage alone, Ash swallowed hard before the piano started playing for her. She closed her eyes and let the music take a hold of her. Immediately she forgot about the world around her.

_I heard there was a secret chord  
That David played, and it pleased the Lord  
You don't really care for music, do ya?  
Well, it goes like this  
The fourth, the fifth  
The minor fall, the major lift  
The baffled king composing Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah_

Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof  
You saw her bathing on the roof  
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya  
Well, she tied you to a kitchen chair  
She broke your throne, and cut your hair  
And from your lips she drew Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Baby I've been here before,  
I've seen this room and I've walked the floor,  
I used to live alone before I knew ya  
But I've seen your flag on the marble arch,  
Our love is not a victory march,  
It's a cold and its a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe there's a God above,  
But all I've ever learnt from love,  
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya,  
It's not a cry that you hear at night,  
It's not someone who's seen the light,  
It's a cold and broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah

Everything was silent when she finished the song and opened her eyes again to look at the crowed. Slowly, one by one the people started clapping for her and soon praised her for the outstanding performance.

Smiling, she bowed low to the people in front of her and thanked the piano player, before leaving the stage. Grinning, she saw that Draco had moved towards the stage and now came and took her into his arms and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Was I good?" she asked with a soft smile.

"You were absolutely fantastic! I thought an angel descended from heaven," he smiled and brushed away a small strand of hair that had fallen into her face.

A few hours later Ash and the Zabini's decided to head towards home - otherwise they wouldn't get home before dawn.

"Goodbye Draco," Ash said softly hugging her boyfriend tightly. "Are you sure you don't have any time later today?" she asked quietly, staring at his chest.

"No. I told you already. My dad wants me to help him with something," Draco said.

"I thought it was your mother..."

Draco inhaled sharply. "Both of them want me to do something for them."

"Oh, OK... Well, we're still in England for a few hours, so if you have time..."

"Yeah I'll tell you," he said before placing his lips above hers. "Goodnight," he whispered into her ear before letting Blaise take her from him.

"I love you" she called towards him, but Draco had already vanished back into the crowed...

**Song: k.d. lang - Halleluja**


	36. Chapter 35 - 25th

Ash woke up the next day feeling numb, once again. As she had in the past few days, she just lay in bed for at least half an hour staring at the ceiling.

She was going to visit her parents grave today - the first time since their death. She hadn't been present during their funeral keeping the illusion that they weren't dead. But now if she went to the grave, she was sure that the fact would finally really hit her.

After a while she followed her daily routine by finally pulling the covers off her body and sliding off her bed. Standing up she starred at the floor for a few more moments and finally shook her head - forcing down the numbness and forcing a small smile to creep into her face - it didn't work yet.

Swallowing hard she got off the bed, took a deep breath and started walking to the closet/bathroom. Slowly she got out something to wear and walked into to shower.

While the warm water sizzled down on her she allowed her tears to run freely down her face and mix with the running water, washing away.

When she got out of the shower all her numbness, and today's overpowering feeling of loss had washed away with the sweat on her body and now she seemed to be happily smiling while putting on her clothes and racing to Blaise's room.

"Blaise! Wakey Wakey!" she called and jumped onto her friends friend. "Santa came and brought us presents!" she yelled into his ear and pulled her face back just in time to not be struck by Blaise again when his upper body rushed upwards in shock.

"Argh! Ash! It's morning."

"Yeah, time to wake up!"

"We've only come home at six - meaning..." he looked at the clock in his room, "five hours ago. Five hours are not enough sleep, Ash," he said with a sigh and let his body fall back on the bed.

Ash pouted and got of Blaise's bed and ran to the curtains pulling them open.

Blaise groaned and threw one of his pillows after his torturer, before taking the pillow he was using and covered his face with it.

"Blaise," Ash whined and jumped on the boys bed again.

"No," he grumbled.

Ash jumped again moving nearer to him, "Blaise."

"No."

"Blaise," she said moving nearer with every time.

"No."

"Blaise."

"No."

"Blaise."

"Merlin's pants, Ash!" Blaise snapped while he jumped out of the bed. "You won! Happy?" he fumed and angrily stomped to his closet/bathroom, while Ash smirked and made herself comfortable sitting on the bed and watching Blaise go into his closet, coming out with a pile of clothes and going back through the door into the shower.

When he came out again, he wasn't wearing only his boxer-shorts any more, but was dressed in jeans and a black button-up shirt.

"Alright" he said, now calm and awake, "Lets go and wake Mom... and Hector."

"Yes, sir!" she grinned and hoped off his bed and followed him out of the room and through the house to his mothers wing.

Barging into his mothers room, Blaise strode over to the windows to pull back the curtains, without looking at the bed. "Mom, wake up! We want to open our presents."

Ash was still standing at the door, with wide eyes and was trying to hold back giggles, as Blaise's mother stared at her son. "We are awake," she said making Blaise turn around and freeze.

Oriana was straddling Hector, naked. The blanket was lying on the floor.

"Sorry!" he quickly said and stormed to the door, "We'll be waiting in the living room," he said and quickly ushered Ash out of the door frame and closed the door behind them.

As soon as the door closed behind then Ash started laughing, while Blaise seemed to have paled a few nuances. "Wow... kindda embarrassing," she said when she could speak without gasping again. Blaise just stared at her as if she had a multiple number of heads and sat down on one of the couches in silence.

Still trying to hold down the laughter she sat down next to him and together they waited for the adults to come.

After about 15 minutes they walked into the room.

"Good morning you love birds!" Ash grinned as she saw them - her grin broadening when she was Hector blush, but Oriana kept her cool.

"Good morning, Ash. Did you sleep well?"

"Perfectly, and you?"

"I was very comfortable."

"Did you finish all your business?"

"Is that any of your business?"

"No, I'm just curious."

"You know that curiosity killed the cat?"

"But I'm sure what she saw was very interesting."

Oriana stared at Ash for a minute or two before smiling. "How about we get to the pleasant things that Santa brought us?"

The three others nodded and soon they where giving each other presents. Happily they gave each other the presents and excitedly opened them up.

"Hector and I bought you this," Oriana said with a smile, "we thought you might need it for tomorrows race."

Wide eyed Ash looked at the long, rectangular box that Oriana held in her hands. "No, you didn't!" she gasped and slowly opened the present - they had. In her hands she was holding the newest broom on the market, the broom every witch and wizard wanted. In her hands she was holding the Nimbus 2002.

"Merlin! What a beauty!" she sighed as she inspected every inch of the broom. Sliding her fingers over the smooth wood. "I- I- I can't accept this," she said ripping her eyes away from the beautiful broom in her hands and looking at Oriana, while holding the broom for her to take.

"What do you mean? It's your Christmas present!"

"But its too expensive!"

"Do I look like I care? I'm swimming in money. Do you think that little broom would give me an itch? No. It's your present, you can't give it back," she said strictly.

Ash looked at her pouting then looked back into the broom in her hands. It really was a beauty. It was made out of Walnut wood and its surface was near to perfect, no impurities soiled the wood and the pointed branches that went together in a sharp point for Aerodynamics.

Slowly a smile spread across her face and she looked back at Oriana. "Thank you," she said quietly before standing up and warmly hug her.

"I'm glad you like it," she said, smiling as well and handing her another present. "These two present came in a few hours ago, this one carried with an old and weird looking owl, I think its from your family, and the other one was the Davis owl."

Smiling Ash took Tracy's present first and pulled out a statue that made all of the room inmates crook their heads and wonder... "Isn't that a fertility statue?" Oriana asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I believe so," Ash answered and crooked her eyebrows. "Tracy, probably doesn't know that... does she?"

"I don't think so..." Blaise said, "No, let me correct. I hope she doesn't..."

"Yeah..." swiftly Ash wrapped it up again and looked at the present Errol seems to have brought.

Quickly she ripped the neatly packed present and stared at the pullover that Molly had made her - once again. Cracking a smile, she giggled and quickly threw it on. It was silver and green with an "A" in the front.

Oriana, Blaise and Hector looked at it confused. "Looks home made," Hector commented, making Ash turn to him.

"It is! Aunt Molly always sends us home made pull overs. It's my first green one though," she grinned and opened the card that came with it.

**Dear Ash,**

we hope you are enjoying the time at the Zabini household and that everything is going good for you. If you have any time during the holidays, we would love for you and the Zabini's to come to the Burrow and keep us company for an evening!

Also we want you to know that you can come to us at any given time.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

love,  
Molly and Arthur

Ash smiled at their words and remembered that she still had the presents from Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione in her trunk. Swiftly she accio'd them to her.

Ron had gotten her some prank items from Zonko's, Ginny had gotten her CD's from Blink 182, the Backstreet Boys and Foo Fighters - she still didn't understand that Backstreet Boys didn't quiet fit the mix... but its the thought that counts, right? (It's not like Ash didn't listen to them). Harry had gotten her a collection of books on Quidditch, while Hermione got her some books on Potions.

Ash smiled as she looked at the presents of her family and friends. She loved them to bits and hoped that her own presents to them had arrived safely and that they liked them.

After opening her families presents she quickly gave Oriana and Hector a little present that she had gotten, while she and Blaise had been shopping. The presents weren't expensive - like the rest of the presents the family had given each other, but Ash hoped they still liked them. She got Oriana a Channel Nr. 5 perfume (but the small flask) and Hector a polo shirt. Politely smiling they thanked her.

Lastly she gave Blaise his present, while getting one from him. She hadn't had any idea what she could give the boy that already had everything. However, she had remembered his favourite band and had found out that they were playing in London during the winter holidays on the 5th of January - she was able to get two tickets to the concert.

Anticipating what he would think of the present she didn't open hers yet, but watched him as he opened his. Watched as his eyes widened a bit and smiled at him when he told her that he loved his present.

"Open yours!" he said quietly and ushered her to open her present up.

It was quiet small and when she opened it her mouth fell straight down on the floor. "You're nuts," she muttered as she stared at the necklace that he had bought her.

In the box in front of her was a ring that she had seen in an shop window while they were in town and had fallen in love with it at first sight. It was a very simple ring, thin and with a Moonstone set in the middle of the ring. In the shop they said that it had special powers to show the hidden and lead them through the hard times in life - or give her the ability to escape.

Normally she would have bought it herself, but it was extremely expensive. "Blaise," she stated in monotone.

"Yeah."

"You know that you shouldn't have, right?"

"Yeah."

"But you did anyway."

"Yeah."

Ash cracked a smile and flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!" she whispered into his ear and kissed his cheek.

"I knew you'd like it!"

She smirked at the family around her and quickly placed the ring on her ring finger in awe and stared at it.

"Thank you" she said again and glowed at Blaise.

After they had finished unwrapping their presents, Ash walked out onto the balcony and stared out into the sky - looking out for a owl to come by.

About an hour later Blaise joined her. "Want to go to your parents now?" he asked softly and Ash nodded while turning her head away from the horizon for the first time since she came out, smiling a sad smile at Blaise.

"Alright, lets go then."

Ash glanced out at the sky one last time before following Blaise to their rooms, where they changed into outside clothes and put on their shoes.

The sky was grey when a group of four appeared in a small hill near a graveyard.

"It looks like it will rain soon," one of them commented, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah, maybe it would be wiser for you guys to go somewhere else, you don't have to come."

"No, this is important - not only to you," the older women of the group told the younger one, with a reassuring smile.

The teenager smiled back. "Thank you."

"Any time."

Together the group of four walked down the hill, towards the graveyards entrance. Silently they crossed it and began their journey around the gravestones of long forgotten and recently buried people.

"It should be..." the teenage girl said and stopped when she saw other people standing at the grave they were walking towards. It was husband and wife, holding hands, not talking. She saw one of then - the wife - lean forward and place a flower on the grave.

Briskly the teenage girl ran over to them. Startling them when they felt her hugging them from behind.

"Hey," the husband whispered to her and gave her a gentle hug, pulling her in front of him and kissing the top of the head. "It's good to see you."

"It's nice to see you too. How long have you been here already?"

The husband looked at wife, "a while".

The wife looked at them, smiling sadly, before taking the girls hand in hers. Together the three of them stared at the two stones in front of them, while the other three - the ones the girl came with - stayed a few paces behind them, letting them grieve in unity.

Tears started sliding down the cheeks of the girl as she stared at the two names carved into the stone.

_**Katharina Weasley  
geb. 9.10.1950  
† 22.03.1998**_

David Weasley  
geb. 25.12.1946  
† 22.03.1998

Ihr sein für das Wichtigste gestorben.

Together with the tears came a drizzle of rain.

The husband looked up at the sky and frowned. "We should be heading somewhere dry soon," he said quietly. His wife nodded in agreement.

"You go ahead. I want to stay here a bit longer," the girl answered in return.

"We'll go to the restaurant, come there when you're ready."

"Sure," she said and smiled at her uncle.

The two of them turned their backs on the grave and walked up to the other three. "We're going to go eat at a local restaurant here. Would you like to join us?"

The group of three looked at each other and silently nodded at them. "We'd love too," the women answered.

"Is she staying here?" the boy asked as the others started walking.

"Yeah, she wants to be with them a few minutes longer," her uncle answered and the boy nodded - not following the others when they left but staying behind, waiting for the girl.

They stayed where they were in silence, until the boy finally joined her at the grave.

The tears were still falling silently out of her eyes, but she didn't care - she just let them reign free. All of a sudden she let herself fall onto her knees and began talking to the stones.

"Hey Mama, Hey Papa... Wie geht es euch? Ich weiß das es wahrscheinlich sinnlos ist mit euren Grabsteinen zu reden, aber... naja, was solls?" she laughed bitterly, "mir gehts in der Regel gar nicht mal so schlecht. Ich bin jetzt in Hogwarts - muss aber leider gestehen das ich nicht in Gryffindor gelandet bin, sondern in Slytherin! Kaum vorstellbar, oder? Ein Weasley in Slytherin...

"Ich hab auch einen neuen Freund - nein, nicht er! Das ist Blaise. Einer meiner besten Freunde die ich in Hogwarts habe. Draco - mein Freund - konnte heute leider nicht kommen... Aber ich stell ihn euch irgendwann mal vor!"

She looked up at the sky before she continued speaking - and when she did it were only three words before she broke down crying.

"Ich vermisse euch."

Blaise quickly sat down next to her and hugged her close - letting her cry into his already soaked shirt.

"Sie sind wirklich tot..." she muttered, and then repeated it in English when she remembered that Blaise didn't understand German. "They're really dead..."

"Yeah," Ash snorted and looked back at the grave, unwinding from Blaise's embrace. "What does it say?" he asked her quietly.

"It says that they died for the most important."

Blaise smiled at that. "It's true," he whispered into her ear, "you are the most important."

Ash looked at her friend for a minute before getting of the ground. "Lets go warm up," she said quietly and took his hand in hers, leading them away from her parents grave and out of the graveyard where she apparated them to their families.

**Translation:  
"Hey mom, hey dad... How are you? I know its probably pointless to talk with you gravestones, but... Whatever!" she laughed bitterly, "I'm doing quite well. I'm in Hogwarts now - however I must admit I wasn't placed in Gryffindor but in Slytherin! Difficult to image, right? A Weasley in Slytherin...**

"I also have a new boyfriend - no, not him! That is Blaise. He's one of my best friends at Hogwarts. Draco - my boyfriend - couldn't make it today... but I'll introduce him to you at one point."

She looked up at the sky before she continued speaking - and when she did it were only three words before she broke down crying.

"I miss you"


	37. Chapter 36 - Messed Up

As the two teenagers reappeared on this earth, they were standing in a shady looking alley in the middle of Munich.

Ash still hadn't let go of her friends hand, as she took out her wand - looking left and right of them - and tapped the wall three times muttering something in German. All of a sudden, the wall started trembling and the bricks pulled away, leaving an entry way for the newcomers.

"This is the Munich equivalent to Diagon Alley. Welcome to Winkelgasse," she said with a warm smile and pulled Blaise through the arch way. Like the Diagon Alley, this alley had all kind of things and shops. Shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon, and much much more.

Hurriedly, so that they wouldn't get even wetter, Ash pulled the two of them through the crowd, still holding on to Blaise's hand tightly. Soon they stopped in front of a slightly darker looking house. On a crooked sign above the door it said "Sommernacht".

When the two teenagers entered the shop, it was already packed with people.

"Do you see them anywhere?" she asked loudly, trying to speak over the noise.

Blaise was just about to answer, when another voice reached them, a voice calling Ash's name.

Confused Ash looked around the crowd and saw a bear of a man push through to them. As soon as she saw him, she grinned from one ear to the other. "Johannes," she said happily and took a few steps towards the man who owned the pub they were in. "Wie geht es dir?" she asked while letting go off Blaise's hand and hugging the man tightly.

"Nicht übel, aber wie geht es dir?" he said looking at her intently.

"Mir geht es auch gut," she answered him with a soft smile.

"Gut... Was machst du eigentlich hier?"

"Ich bin hier mit meiner Tante und meinem Onkel verabredet... Hast du sie gesehen?"

"Ach so, die Insel-Affen Bagage," he said and pointed behind him to a table in the far corner and soon pushed through the crowd with them, to make sure that they got to their table without problems.

"Danke."

"Kein problem, meine süße."

As Johannes went away the teenagers could literally feel the icy atmosphere between the people at the table.

Looking at each other, Ash and Blaise walked up to them.

"Hey..." Ash started, pulling the attention towards them.

"Hey, sweetheart," Molly and Oriana said simultaneously with a smile, before glaring at each other.

"OK... What happened?" she asked while sitting down at the tables end.

"Nothing," they answered her again, simultaneously.

"Arthur?" she said searching for help.

Her uncle looked at her shocked - he obviously didn't want to have anything to do with the situation. "Um," he glanced at Molly, "Molly and Mrs. Zabini had a little... misunderstanding?" he answered, but it sounded more of a question.

"And what was it about?"

"..." - more then enough of an answer.

"Me?"

Arthur smile forcibly.

"Alright, ladies. What was there to argue about."

"Nothing," they snapped and then sighed. "Really, honey, its nothing you have to worry about," Molly said quietly and stroked her arm lovingly.

Ash looked at the two women calculatingly and then nodded, "alright."

Silence spread through the table and was only broken as Johannes came and got their orders. After he left, silence spread again and Ash started to get angry. When the silence was still dominating the conversation after the meal, Ash flipped.

"Alright. That is it! I want to know what happened right now!" she screamed, receiving the attention of the whole restaurant, but Ash didn't care.

"Honey, sit down, please. The people are starting to stare at us," Molly begged quietly trying to calm her down.

"I do not care! I want to know what happened right away or I will leave this second," she screamed even louder so that every single person in the whole room was definitely listening and hearing her.

"Honey, we just...We think that it would be better for you to spend the rest of the Christmas holidays with us at the Burrow."

"What?" Ash gasped as she sat down and looked at her aunt confused, then back at the Zabini's, who looked guilt ridden. Blaise looked just as confused as her.

Oriana sighed and took a hold of the girls hand. "Sweety, they are your family, they want you to spend your time with them while you're here."

"Was I being a nuisance?" Ash asked in monotone.

"No, of course not!"

"Did I do anything to make you angry?"

"No, honey, don't say something like that."

"Then why?" she asked before looking at Molly when Oriana didn't answer. "I told you that I would spend my time with the Zabini's during the holidays. Why are you so against it now?"

Molly started to get angry with her now. "Ashlin Sandra Weasley, you will not talk to me like that! We are your guardians and you will do as we say! You will came and spend the rest of your holidays with us and you will not be taking part at that broom race!"

Ash looked at her dumbstruck before glaring at her and starting to raise her voice again. "What gives you the right to talk to me like that? What gives you the right to tell me what I can and what I can't do?"

"We are your guardians!" Molly screamed.

"You are nothing!" Ash screamed back. "I don't give a shit on what it says on that little piece of paper of yours! You are not my parents! My parents are buried six feet under the ground!"

The whole pub was quiet as Ash stood up from her chair - making it fall to the ground with a loud thud and stormed out of the restaurant. As the door was thrown shut, everyone stayed quiet and either stared at the door or at the group of English witches and wizards that the girl left behind.

Quickly the youngest of the remaining group got of his chair as well and followed the girl out of the pub, but when he came back, he came back alone - the girl had apparated away.

"Where to go now?" a girl mumbled to herself as she walked through one of the largest urban parks in this world, the Englisher Garten in Munich. She was alone, no one was with her. "I can't go back the Zabini's for now... They'd call Molly and Arthur... no, no... can't do that, don't want that...

"I don't have any money with me either..." she went on mumbling. "What to do? What to do?"

Suddenly her head shot up and soon she disappeared out of the German park and reappeared in front of a big early renaissance style house. Swiftly she went to the door and rang the door bell. For a while nothing happened and the blond started believing the owners of the manor were out of house.

Quietly she summoned up a clock. It read 6.40... she must have been at that park longer then she imagined...

As she was about to leave once again, the door creaked open and a small house elf pocked out his head.

"Hello, I would like to see Draco" she told it and the elf scowled.

"Sorry, the masters aren't home right now." it said silently.

"Oh... alright... could you tell them that Ash Weasley was here?"

"I will ma'am"

"Thank you" she said before the elf closed the door and she was standing alone in the cold again.

Sighing, she apparated herself away again, this time appearing in the Diagon Alley, London. There she walked to Gringotts Wizarding Bank, pulling out her vault key.

"Vault 2424" she said quietly and handed over the key, before she got into the cart and was driven to her family's vault. Unlike the vault of her aunt and uncle, Ash's family vault - that now only belonged to her - was quiet far down, making it one of the vaults with the highest security.

When they got of the cart, she took out her golden key again and walked up to the door. Next she gently put the key into it and turned.

Personally, she didn't know why they had such a high security vault any way, especially when she looked into the vault to see only 2 gallons and a couple of sickles lying on the floor.

"Damn" she muttered to herself, before walking in and taking the money out.

After she stored the money back into her pocket, she closed the vault again and together the goblin and her drove back up to the entrance.

Slowly she walked out of the bank and made her way to the Leaky Cauldron, where she decided that she would spend the night.

Later that evening, she sent out an owl addressed to Blaise Zabini, telling him that she had done as he had told her, that she was now in the Leaky Cauldron and that she would be awaiting him with her broom and a change of clothes tomorrow in Kopparberg two hours before the race started.

Meanwhile, at the Zabini Manor the Zabini's and the Weasley were arguing away, while freaking out about where she might be and where she would be going now.

Only one person wasn't freaking out, but just stayed quiet - staring at the commotion in front of him. He was the only one that looked up when the saw an house elf enter the room and walk over to him.

"This owl just came for you, master," it squeaked and handed him a letter. His name was written on the side, in the finest handwriting that he knew. With a small smile he opened the letter and read the contents.

**Burn after reading!**

Hey Blaise,

I've calmed down. I guess I've over reacted a bit, but I hate being controlled, you understand. Anyway, I'm not coming home today, but staying in London at the Leaky Cauldron - Don't you dare tell anyone!

I'm still planning to race tomorrow, so I'll be expecting you to bring me my broom and a change of clothes - together with a long hooded something!

See you at eight o'clock in Kopparberg at the Gringotts bank there!

Love,

Ash

As soon as he finished readying the letter, he burned it and got of his chair.

"Mom," he said loudly, getting the attention of everyone around him. "Ash is doing fine. She just sent me a letter. We'll be seeing her tomorrow."

"Where is that letter?"

"I just burned it. There's the ash."

"Why did you burn it?"

"Ash told me too."

Mrs. Zambini sighed but nodded, "alright. Good night Blaise."

"G'night Mom, G'night Mr and Mrs Weasley."

He went out of the room in silence and headed to his own room.

_Today was messed up!_ he thought as he got ready for bed and tried to grab some sleep.

**"Wie geht es dir?" - How are you?**

"Nicht übel, aber wie geht es dir?" - Not to bad, but how are you?

"Mir geht es auch gut." - I'm doing fine, as well.

"Gut... Was machst du eigentlich hier?" - Good... What are you doing here any ways?

"Ich bin hier mit meiner Tante und meinem Onkel verabredet... Hast du sie gesehen?" - I'm here with my aunt and uncle... Did you see them?"

"Ach so, die Insel-Affen Bagage." (this is kindda hard to translate because its a typical german thing to say..) Oh yeah, the "island-ape" people.

"Danke" - Thank you

"Kein problem, meine süße" - No problem, sweetheart.


	38. Chapter 37 - Annual Broom Race

Shortly before Ash departed from the Leaky Cauldron, a small owl flew up to her window and hit its beak against her window.

Yawning she went over the the owl and opened the window for her, allowing the owl to fly in and stretch out her leg and show Ash the letter it was carrying.

Swiftly she took the letter from the owl and she hurriedly flew out of the room once again.

**To: Miss Ash Weasley**

From: The Annual Broom Racing Association

Dear Miss Weasley,

We are happy to inform you that you will be allowed to take the place of Mr. Hector Lanbone in the Annual Broom Race of 1998.

You are able to register in the registration office that you'll find in Diagongränden until 7.15 of the 26th of December, with this invitation and two Galleons for the starting money.

We wish you the best of luck,

Steve Magnusson

Ash frowned while starting at the letter... 7.15? 7.15... 7.15 in Kopparberg...

Ash looked at the clock at the wall. 6.00... Good she still had an hour. Quietly she let her head fall onto the pillows again.

6.00 o'clock...

6.00 o'clock...

6.00 o'clock... in London.

The girls head snapped up and she fell out of the bed she was laying in.

"6.00 o'clock in London means 7.00 o'clock in Kopparberg!" she screamed to herself and swiftly pulled on her clothes and raced out of the door, down the stairs. Told Tom the landlord that she was checking out, while throwing him 2 sickles to pay for the room and then quickly ran out of the pub.

When she was standing outside the door she tried to think how she could get there. As far as she knew London and Kopparberg were about 1500 Kilometres / 909 Miles away from each other and she had about another 10 minutes to appear in front of the registration.

_Alright, I won't be able to make it in one go... so best I do a pit stop in... Denmark? Yes... Denmark,_ she thought to herself and tried to calm herself down enough to be able to apparate without any difficulties.

Suddenly she felt herself be squished through a tight tube, her body was being compromised, her eyeballs and eardrums pressed into her body. Iron chains seemed to be binding her and she couldn't breath any more.

After a few minutes of the torture she felt the pressure let go of her again and soon she was standing in Denmark. She didn't give herself any time to even open her eyes or breath in deeply before she pushed herself through the next tube.

It was hard. She shouldn't have rushed to the next apparation so quickly - she knew that and she could already feel her guts twisting inside her a bit - but she didn't have the time to think this through. Finally she got to her destination and swiftly found herself staggering towards another wizard - unmistakeably by the 80ies outfit he was wearing, in order to blend in.

"Sorry, Sir. Do you know where the registration is?" she asked him gasping, holding her stomach in pain.

"Vad? Registrering? För den årliga kvast ras."

Ash frowned at him, but nodded hoping he was telling her the right way.

"Säker, följ mig." Ash looked at him a bit confused, but she thought he told her to follow him, so that is want she did. Together the older wizard and the Weasley walked down the road.

"Could we please hurry up a bit?"

"Hurry?..." he asked and Ash gestured at a clock that they just passed. "oh, bråttom, säker," he said and picked up the pace.

A few minutes later the ageing Wizard and the teenage girl entered a tall building in the streets centre. In that building the men pointed her towards a small door at the end of the hallway and she thanked him, with the only word she know in Swedish "Tack!" - Thank you!

Without further ado, she hurried through the door and saw that the registration was about to close.

"Wait!" she screamed and ran up to the window. "Please! Please, let me register as well!"

"Sorry, ma'am its already 7.16. We told you in the letter to be here at 7.15 latest."

"I only got that letter 15 minutes ago and I was in London!" she gasped, holding up the window with her hand, while the registration person tried to push it close.

"Well, you should have been in Kopparberg before then."

"Please, I beg of you! Let me enter the race!" she cried.

"What is this commotion about?" another person said from behind the registry.

"This girl came to late."

"Well, Miss's that's to bad for you. We told you you had to be on time. You had since yesterday to register."

"I only got the invitation fifteen minutes ago, sir. I hurried here as fast as possible."

"The invitation only 15 minutes ago? But we send them out 6 months ago."

"I'm Ash Weasley, I was the last minute person that took the place of Hector Lanbone, your association had to send me the invitation a bit late. I guess the owl didn't find me fast enough... but I swear, I only got the letter 15 minutes ago while I was still sleeping in the Leaky Cauldron in London! I came here as fast as possible"

"Ash Weasley... Weasley... I've heard that name before... show me your invitation."

Ash smiled at the man and quickly got out the invitation she had in her trouser pockets, "here sir."

The man - who seemed to be in charge of the registration took the letter from her and scanned over it. Next he took out his wand and lightly tapped on it.

All of a sudden the invitation folded itself and started speaking. "This letter was send of by Sven Hansson on the 25th of December 1998 at 12.36 o'clock Swedish time and was received by Ash Weasley on the 26th of December at 6.59 o'clock Swedish time."

The Registration person scowled a bit before he asked, "where was it received?"

"Leaky Cauldron, London, United Kingdom at 6.59 o'clock Swedish time."

The man looked at her. "and you came here at 7.16? How did you manage?"

"I apparated," she answered truthfully.

"Alright," he said nodding to himself, "give her the badge."

"But sir!"

"We'll make an exception. It wasn't her fault that this Sven was to stupid to send the invitation of earlier we knew about the change in competitors since Saturday, as far as I remember," he told his subordinate, before turning to Ash. "You'll be allowed to enter," he told her, while the other one gave her a badge with a flashing 124 on it.

"Thank you, sir!"

"No need. But be sure to be on time at the start of the race and promise me to live through it," he said with a smile and shut the windows as she nodded her head violently.

As soon as the windows closed and she was alone she let herself fall on the ground and clutched her stomach.

"Damn it. I think a few organs switched positions," she mumbled to herself. Slowly she took a few deep breaths and got up from the ground again. Bend over she staggered to the door and went through it. "Now.. where is that medical squad when you need it?" she asked herself and walked out of the door and looked around.

Again she tried to help herself by asking passer-byers. "Excuse me, do you know where the healers are?" she asked a boy that seemed around her own age.

"Healers? Yeah, they're at the start," he said with a thick Swedish accent.

"Could you show me there? I really need to see them."

The boy looked up and down the street and crossed glances with one of the others he was with. "Sure. Come with me."

"Thank you very much!" she said with a smile.

"No problem... really," he said and he and his friends changed direction to show the girl to the starting line.

"Is one of your relatives participating today?" the boy asked her, with interest.

"No," she said smiling.

"Then why are you here?"

"I've been watching the race every year so far with my parents -" she started but the boy didn't let her finish.

"Ah! So, whom are you rooting for?"

"I'm rooting for myself," she said and started grinning when she saw his astonished face.

"You're participating?"

"Yeah, I was allowed to take the place of my friends 'step-father'."

"But how old are you?"

"Just turned 17."

"Don't you have to be at least 20 to participate?"

"No, they changed the rules a few months ago. You only have to be overage now - thankfully in the wizarding world that is 17."

"But if you just turned 17... then you weren't overage when you had to sign up."

"Yes... but I took the place of someone else, who was. And as I am overage now, they don't have a problem with it."

"Wow... that means you must be the youngest racer since, forever!"

Ash looked at the boy and nodded. "I do believe I am..." she said astonished with the fact herself.

The boys and her talked a few more minutes until they reached the healers quarters.

"Thank you a lot that you brought me here!" she told them with a smile and waved the boys goodbye as they left her to fend for herself again.

"Hello, my name is Ash Weasley," she said walking up to a bored looking lady.

"Sorry, we are only responsible for racers."

"I am a racer."

The lady looked at her. "Where's you badge?" she asked and Ash swiftly pulled out her badge to show it to her. "Alright. What's the problem."

"I think a few organs changed position. Could you check?"

The lady looked at her with an raised eyebrow and motioned Ash to follow her into the tent, where she felt Ash's stomach for each organ.

"No, their all where they should be." she said and Ash sighed in relieve. "They just got a bit twisted during apparation... Here, take this it'll untwist the organs again and you should be fit in an hour or so."

Taking the potion from the healer, she quickly gulped it down and tried to shake the bad taste out of her mouth.

"Thank you! I'll be on my way now!" Ash said, trying to stand up, but the healer stopped her.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Meet a friend?"

"No chance. You'll have to lay down for a while, otherwise I won't let you start," she said and Ash looked at her wide eyed.

"But my friend is waiting for me!"

"Then go, but you won't be able to race," she threatened.

"That's blackmail, did you know that?"

"I don't care as long as we have a healthy racer at the start of the race," she countered and made sure that Ash wouldn't be able to sneak out.

After an hour that healer checked her patient again and allowed her to leave, telling her that she wasn't allowed to apparate for the next three days. Mentally cursing her, Ash went out of the tent to find Gringotts and Blaise before the race started.

"Blaise!" she whispered into his ear as she quietly came to a stop behind him. Tensing a bit, he turned around and smiled as he saw Ash stand in front of him. "I'm sorry for the delay! Where are the others?" she asked curious.

"Damn Ash! Where were you? I've been waiting here in the freezing cold for one and a half hours now! I thought you wouldn't be coming!" he fumed, when he remembered the wait.

"I know, I'm sorry. I apparated a bit to quickly and my organs got a bit... twisted?"

"Are you alright now?"

"Yeah, no worries about me! Where are the others?"

"I lost them a while ago," he said with a smirk.

"Nice! Then there's no chance that Molly will find me before the race and try to stop me!" she beamed at him and gave him a hug. He hugged her back tightly.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, mother shouldn't have said anything about the race to your aunt..."

"It's no big deal! I'll probably be quite screwed once I finish the race and will have 1000 years of house arrest... " she laughed. "Oh, by the way, did you bring what I asked you for?"

"Of course," he said and pulled out her wand and a duffel bag with clothes in it.

Ash grinned at her friend and took them of him. "Thank you."

"Any time."

Suddenly her badge started vibrating and the voice of a man came out. "All racers are asked to make their way to the starting line, the race will start in 10 minutes."

"Fuck!" Ash cursed and looked at Blaise. "Come on, we have to hurry," she said taking her friends hand in her left hand and carrying her broom in her right hand.

Halfway to the start line, she threw her Nimbus to Blaise while she took out the black cape that Blaise had brought her and covered her face with it. Next she took the broom off her friend again and said goodbye to him. Leaving him alone while she went into the players only section - hoping that her aunt wouldn't see her until after the race.

The 124 racers where all standing in a row anticipating the signal that would tell them that the race started.

Ash was standing right in the middle of them all, feeling a bit out of place when she saw the tall, muscular or lean witches and wizards that where all at least 25 years old.

Right next to her was Konrad Weiss - the Seeker of the German National Quidditch Team, on her left was Olaf Andersen one of the Chasers of the Nordic National Quidditch Team and the winner of last years Annual Broom Race. Then a few people down she could see his colleges Lorre Gustafson, and Peter Hansen, the beaters Asgeir Knutsen and Asgard Pettersson, the Keeper Martin Helstrom and Seeker and Captain Tina Lundstrom. Furthermore she saw, Gianni Fedele from the United States team as well as Tim Sullivan, Justin Time and Ken Tersias - the three top Quodpot players in the United states.

Around them she could hear the calls of the fans, especially Olaf Anderson's name was echoing through the crowed.

Then they hear the whistle - Get ready. The racers get ready to jump of the ground.

A second whistle - Set. The racers tense and wait.

A loud bang shook the air and the racers propel themselves of the ground.

The race begins.

The 124 racers where all standing in a row anticipating the signal that would tell them that the race started.

Ash was standing right in the middle of them all, feeling a bit out of place when she saw the tall, muscular or lean witches and wizards that where all at least 25 years old.

Right next to her was Konrad Weiss - the Seeker of the German National Quidditch Team, on her left was Olaf Andersen one of the Chasers of the Nordic National Quidditch Team and the winner of last years Annual Broom Race. Then a few people down she could see his colleges Lorre Gustafson, and Peter Hansen, the beaters Asgeir Knutsen and Asgard Pettersson, the Keeper Martin Helstrom and Seeker and Captain Tina Lundstrom. Furthermore she saw, Gianni Fedele from the United States team as well as Tim Sullivan, Justin Time and Ken Tersias - the three top Quodpot players in the United states.

Around them she could hear the calls of the fans, especially Olaf Anderson's name was echoing through the crowed.

Then they hear the whistle - Get ready. The racers get ready to jump of the ground.

A second whistle - Set. The racers tense and wait.

A loud bang shook the air and the racers propel themselves of the ground.

The race begins.

-

Ash pushed herself off the ground and her broom took up speed as she clung to the tails of her rivals. Quickly she found the best position on her broom and sped of into the distance.

It was an awesome feeling, up here in the clouds, the air running through her hair and pushing back her cape... For the first time in forever she felt truly free again.

All around her she saw her fellow racers wear the same facial expression of bliss as her as they allowed themselves to enjoy the breeze of air rushing past them.

But then the race truly started and they regained their poker faces. It was around 24 miles before they reached the Dragon reservation. The worst thing they could do, was reach the reservation when they were in a group - only individuals are able to make it through the Short-Snouts unnoticed. Those who stayed with the group where bound to get their attention and be attacked.

While looking at the other racers, she noticed that she was one of the smallest racers in the whole crowed - giving her the hope that the Dragons that saw her, saw another one of the racers as well and would see them as the tastier meal or the bigger threat.

While the wind was whipping passed her she saw most of the professionals gain some distance on her and swiftly she leaned on the broom even more to get rid of the air friction and shot after them. Olaf Andersen was the one she should keep an eye on. He had won this race two times in a row already and surly knew the shortest and safest way to Arjeplog.

Ash had already flown a few races before in Germany, but this was harder and faster then even she expected.

Sure, she knew that the really good racers only needed around 4 to 5 hours to get from Kopparberg to Arjeplog, but she couldn't quiet image how fast that meant that they needed to fly.

In only 15 minutes the first ones reached the Dragon reservation. Ash got there three minutes later, but she wasn't going the fastest she could go yet.

She had taken the three minutes to check out the nearing reservation for any signs that the Dragons were near and watch the professionals flying style and speed. If she wanted even the slightest chance to defeat them, she would need to know their technique. But she couldn't dismiss the other witches and wizards either.

Sure, a couple of them, seemed harmless, they didn't want to win the race because "The most important thing is not to win but to take part!"

But there a couple of others that looked to be the calculating type, like her - Look at what the people that did this before do and figure out how to win with that.

But there was one major difference between her and those other calculating racers - she had a brother that was Dragonologist and taught her everything there s to know about Dragons, emphasizing the parts on what to make sure to do if you fly through a Dragon infested place.

Quickly she pointed her broom towards the ground and went of a super quick descend, only pulling up when she was about two metres above the ground. Staying at that height she sweeped over the bare rock below her and then entered the forest.

Yes. It was dangerous - she could have hit an tree at any time and with the speed she was traveling in, that wouldn't have been a nice sight.  
But on the other hand it was also safe, because the Dragons didn't have the space to fly through these trees. Meaning that for the time being she wouldn't have to worry about them.

_**Rule number 1: Stay out off the sight of the Dragons.**_

She heard a the swishing sounds of brooms around her and a couple of screams from above. When she glanced left, she could see Weiss manoeuvring through the the forest like her. In front of her was Andersen and somewhere on the right was another racer that she couldn't quiet distinguish from the others.

When they neared the end of the forest - and were about to enter a open field, Ash slowed her broom down a bit - trying to make it look as if she stumbled or hit something so that a couple of other racers shot passed her.

**_Rule number 2: Never be the first, second of third to enter open space, with the exception that your absolutely awesome and are wearing some weird perfume that repels Dragons... (or are Olaf Anderson)_**

Ash 'got her bearing' again after three racers passed her, she flew out of the woods and saw the first Dragons.

They were Swedish Short-Snouts, dragons with the average length of about 22ft and native to Sweden that inhabit the wild, uninhabited areas, mostly in the northern mountains of Sweden - but they like this reservation a lot as well.  
Why? Because, as Ash now saw, it was a very large mountain range as well, with nearly no forests.

Their silvery blue scales gleamed in the sun, as they flew into the air and started attacking the witches and wizards that invaded their territories.

There were still three people in front of her, the fourth one was already ... disqualified due to lifelessness.

Suddenly one of the Dragons roared and as Ash looked up into the sky she saw one of them get ready to blow out its powerful flame.

_**Rule number 3: Don't panic - even if a Short-Snout is attacking you with its super hot powerful flame that can even burn bone in a matter of seconds!**_

This - Ash sadly had to admit - was one of the hardest rules to follow. Especially because she knew that if that flame reached her in any way or from, not ever her teeth would be left for her family to identify.

Ash wished that she had gotten Blaise to get her the fireproof stuff that Charlie had given her a few winters ago for her birthday. - She would have fit right in, because that stuff was made out of Short-Snout skin... Alright, maybe she could be happy that she didn't wear that.

Quickly she tried to think on what Charlie had told her to do if she was attacked by a Dragon...

Ash heard another roar... 'Hope that a bigger Dragon comes? No, can't be... why did I just think that?'

She heard the roar again - and her eyes widened in horror as she looked up at the sun and saw the silhouette of an Norwegian Ridgeback across the sky.

"What the fuck! Why is a freaking Norwegian Ridgeback here!" she shouted and forgot all about the Snouts.

Hurriedly she concentrated her every last nerve on gaining speed and getting to that slightly narrower cliff she saw about 10 kilometres North of her.

She didn't look back, didn't want to know what was happening behind them, all she cared about was getting to the cliff.

As soon as she reached the cliff she shot down into it, until she nearly reached the ground. To her left and to her right was about a metre and under her she saw spikes reaching out for her. Gently flying just above the spikes she listened to the sounds that were coming from the clearing.

Here and there she heard shots of despair cries of pain that suddenly stopped or increased.

She could still here the sounds after another 5 miles of rushing through the narrow cliff. When she didn't hear the cries any more, she flew on for another 20 miles and then allowed her broom to fly upwards again and check where she was and if anyone else was near.

Slowly she flew out of the ground and didn't see anyone around her - thankfully she didn't see any Dragons either.

Swiftly she took out her wand and the map that they had given the participants and pointed at it. Immediately it showed her were she was and where she should go.

She was about 4 miles off course. If she flew to her left now, she'd be going the swiftest way to Arjeplog from here.

Quietly she put the map back in her pocket, but kept the wand in her hands, ready to attack and defend if a Dragon were to notice her rushing through their mids.

Three and a half hours into the race, Ash was happy that it was held during the day - at least she could now _see_ the problem that lay in front of her.

Currently, she was standing at the edge of a _gigantic_ dragon _infested_ breeding ground... and if she wanted to get to Arjeplog, she needed to cross that.

No chance of flying around it, no chance of anything - at least if she still wanted any chance of winning this race. Only chance was to rush through this as fast as possible.

"I wonder if the Impervius Charm works with Dragon fire..." she muttered worriedly while she slowly let her broom hover above the ground and then started flying forwards, leaving behind the last protection she had in the forest.

She started off slowly, thinking that maybe slow moving flying objects would be ignored by these Dragons, it worked for a while - until she was about 1/4 into the grounds - but soon enough one of the breeding mothers saw her and began to hiss and roar - alarming the other dragons about the intruder in their middle.

"Scheiße!" Ash screamed and brought her broom to high speed in a matter of seconds.

The female dragons around her jumped from their nests and began snatching at the flying witch. The hot blue flames of the Short-Snouts rushed passed her.

She didn't have any time to think through anything, all she did was let instinct take over her body as she swooped through the hundreds of Dragons, evading their flames and snaps and protecting herself with few attacking and defending spells here and there.

Left, right, down, up, right again followed by a spiral downwards and a sharp turn left.

"Desino Flamma," she bellowed when she saw the flames near her.

"Impervius," she yelled when a flame stroked her.

"Conjunctivitis," she screamed when a Dragon was about to snap at her.

"Impedimenta," she cried when their teeth nearly grazed her.

Soon she saw the end of the breeding grounds that ended in another woody forest. With her last flicker of hope she yelled out "Lumos Solem," and a strong ray of light flared out of her wand, temporally blinding all living being on the field as she sped into the protecting forest.

-

Meanwhile, the Dragon keepers that had been in the clearing and watched the witch fly through the breeding grounds - defending herself superbly.

"She's quite good... you think this is the first time in this race?"

"Yeah, I've never seen this one before."

"She must have had some experiences with Dragons though."

"I guess, but I could have done without her passing through here. Now we have to calm them down again..."

"Damn, you're right... how about we give them a sleeping drought?"

The first Dragon Keeper looked at the other one, thoughtfully. "Sounds like a plan. I'll get right to mixing it!"

-

When Ash rushed through the first trees, tears started to fall down her face. "Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin," she muttered and shook her head disbelievingly. "I really made it through... How?"

While she swished past the trees, towards Arjeplog, the tears of shock started to slowly ebb away and soon she had a hold of herself again.

"Everything is alright, everything is good..." she said to no one in particular as the next clearing came nearer and nearer. Soon she found herself outside of the dense canopy again. However, she wasn't alone. Only a few 100 meters in front of her, she saw Olaf Andersen fly near the ground.

Quickly she looked around her and saw Tina Lundstrom another couple of 100 meters behind her.

Her eyes widened in shock as she figured, that this meant she was one of the top racers right now, probably runner up right now...

This prospect of actually having a chance to get one of the top placements, made her forget all about the past affairs and she only concentrated on the now and here. Getting her broom to go maximum speed she rushed after Olaf - swearing that she wouldn't let him out of her sight ever again - at least for the duration of the race, everything else would be creepy.

She had no idea how far away Arjeplog was from where they were, but she guessed that it wouldn't be all to far away now.

The dragon nest episode had taken her about 30 minutes, meaning if they would make to times, the race could be over in only 20-30 minutes.

But then again, who knew what the others had to go through to make it through this race so far? Definitely not her, she had her own adventures to fret about.

Ash did not look back for the rest of the race, she imagined Lundstrom gaining on her quickly, she could imagine all the other players appearing in the horizon and trying to take away her position.

So she did the only thing that she could think off, she speed along the round so fast she could, never looking back to let herself be panicked by the stress and trying to get nearer and nearer to the high-speed broom-racing champion of the last two years.

Finally the little blond witch saw a small town appear at the far end of the horizon.

Buildings started to appear behind the next hill and soon she found herself staring at the goal of the race, the finish line.

A smile started spreading on her face as she saw a huge crowd of people gathered at the goal, cheering for them, cheering for Olaf, cheering for Tina, cheering for _her_.

She tried to increase her speed even more as she rushed to the end, but the broom was already at its limits. Still she flew the fastest she could.

All of a sudden, however, Tina was beside her...

Swallowing hard Ash tightened the grip on her broom and leaned into the hilt even more.

Tina was a head length in front of her...

Grimacing in pain as Ash watched the other witch gain on her, she did everything she could think of to gain speed herself.

Tina had over taken her...

With a frustrated yell, she looked at the back of the Nordic Teams Captain as she passed through the goal a few minutes after Olaf and a few seconds after Tina.

She followed after them as they slowed down and gently landed on the soft Swedish snow.

As soon as her legs hit the ground, they buckled away under her and only a second later she found herself on the floor panting and starring at the blue sky, not a shred of cloud could be seen.

All around her she could hear the roar on the crowd, chanting their names as the three of them lay on the floor.

Nobody was allowed into the racers area, if they weren't a racer themselves, therefore they could quietly stay planted there, without any problems, as the rest of the surviving racers finally came to Arjeplog.

After about 10 minutes, one of the others finally found the strength to get of the ground. When Ash opened her eyes to look, she saw Olaf walk up to his team mate and pull her off the ground, congratulating her on the race.

Next the two of them went over to her.

Olaf held out his hand for her to take. Closing her eyes for just another second she gathered her strength and took his hand with a smile on her face.

"Good job," he told her with a grin as he pulled her of the ground.

"Thank you," she gasped and shifted her weight so that her legs could carry her body. "You weren't to shabby yourself, it seems."

Olaf laughed a deep laugh that shook her whole frame. "I never do bad," he told her with a smirk.

"You took me quite by surprise there, suddenly charging out of those trees, what way did you go?" Tina asked her also shaking Ash's hand.

"I got a bit off course, suddenly found myself at the dragon breeding grounds. Only way I could go was through them... it seems to have been a short cut though," she answered truthfully.

"You actually went through the breeding grounds!" Olaf asked astonished.

"Yeah... but I didn't know about that, until I stood before them."

"Still... you're a mad little girl," he said with a grin on his face.

"What is you name, by the way?" Tina asked, after agreeing with her college.

"Ash Weasley's the name," she told them with a smile.

The three of them talked for another few minutes, until one of the tournament people walked up to them and congratulated them on their win.

"Wait... I really came in third? As in I was the third best racer of the whole race?"

"Yes."

Slowly it dawned to Ash on what she had actually managed. She had decided to join the race only five days ago... she hadn't practised or anything such and yet, she was now the third best of the whole race, a race that had started of with 124 people.

"I... I... I need to go to my family," she said in shock and turned to her fellow winners. They smiled and nodded at her.

"We'll see you at the podium later on, and I do hope you'll come to the after-party!" Olaf said, hitting her on the shoulder with a force that made her stumble.

"Sure... We'll see each other there!" she told them, with a small, shy smile and walked of towards the crowed, hoping she would be able to find her family there.


	39. Chapter 38 - Celebrations

Just before the blond girl walked out of the racers pit, a group of healers scurried over to her and forced her through a little check-up. Afterwards she was forced to down a cup of disgusting tasting potion to get rid of the burns, blisters and the couple of open wounds she had all over her face.

But all in all she was fine to go.

When the third placed witch walked towards the barriers, the witches and wizards parted for her - congratulating her on the third place, but not thinking her of any importance because they had only eyes for the winner of this race, Olaf Andersen.

She was looking around the crowd, desperately searching for her family.

"Ash!" she heard a familiar voice yell behind her. Swiftly she turned to look and her knees buckled as she saw who it was.

"Draco?"

"Hey sweety."

"What are you doing here?"

"Chase told me that you would be participating here today. Why didn't you tell me?" he said as Ash ran up and jumped him, wrapping her legs around his waist while he held her up.

"I... You were busy with your parents... I didn't want to disturb you."

"Honey, you can never disturb me," he whispered into her ear.

Ash frowned at those words, "except yesterday."

"I told you that I didn't have time."

"Yeah, I know... I just wished you would have been there yesterday... maybe it would have all gone a little different."

"I'm sorry, love."

Ash smiled at the blond guy holding her. "I'm happy you came," she whispered into his ear, hugging him tightly.

"I've got the whole day, just for you," he whispered back and nibbled at her earlobe, making Ash giggle quietly. With a content smile she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent deeply. He smelled of burned wood, vanilla and fabric softener... Ash didn't know why, but she really liked that smell of this fabric softener on a guy...

"What fabric softener do you use?" she asked quietly, lost in the scent.

"What?"

"What fabric softener do you use?" she repeated.

"Um, I don't know..."

"Its very yummy."

Draco laughed, his whole frame shaking with him, "I'm glad you like it."

Ash took her head off her boyfriends shoulder and gave him a soft kiss before grinning, "I like it very much."

Draco rolled his eyes with a grin of his own and then looked around the crowd. "Want to see if we can find the others?"

"Yes, please!" she said, but didn't move from the spot.

"You want me to carry you around in the search of the others?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Yes."

Draco sighed, "everything for my love."

Ash smiled warmly and dug her head into the crook of his neck again. "I'm powered out right now."

"Really? Wouldn't have guessed. How was it anyway?"

"Awesome! And scary as hell!" she said quietly, tightening her hold on her boyfriend. "I got off course at one point and was stuck rushing through the breeding grounds of the Short-Snorts. I thought I would die!" she told him.

Draco stopped walking and looked down at his girlfriend. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled.

"Are you sure? Maybe you should go to the healers to check you out."

"They already did, the wounds that bled are all closed up now and my burns will vanish soon."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"I'm happy that you made it through the race alive."

"I'm not to unhappy myself!" she countered, "especially with my placement!"

"What place are you?"

"I'm third"

"Third?"

"Yep, right after Olaf Andersen and Tina Lundstrom"

"Wow."

"I know, you've got an awesome girlfriend, you should treasure her!" she told his softly and kissed his neck, making him shiver.

"You know I do."

"Yeah, I know," she said smiling and then straightened again to look around. "So where do you think the others are?"

"I see Chase over there," he said and shifted her body to get one hand free and point at her fellow beater and (self proclaimed) younger brother.

Ash twisted her body to see. "Chase!" she screamed at him, when she finally saw him as well.

Chase's head perked up and he turned 180 degrees to look at her. "Ash!" he yelled with a grin when he saw her and with only a small turn to tell someone where he was going, he sped towards them.

Gently she got Draco to let go of her and jumped onto Chase when he came at her with arms open wide. "Oh Merlin! I can't believe you came out of there alive! You are so awesome!" he screamed and jumped up and down with her.

"Thank you"

"I really can't believe it! You're a Slytherin! You should be trying to save your own skin, not risk it like some Gryffindor!" he screamed and hit her across the head, lightly, jokingly.

Ash laughed at that.

"You're really brave, you know that?" he asked softly, letting go off her.

"No, I'm not brave at all."

"Then why would you do something like this race?"

"Suicidal tendency?" she asked, unsure if it was the correct answer but it fit better then bravery.

Chase frowned, "nah, I like looking at it as bravery and you losing your common sense."

"I'm half British! I don't have common sense!"

Chase looked at her with a joking glare. But then looked behind him, as two adults approached them. "Mom! Dad! I forgot to introduce you to Ash at the Christmas party! Ash this is my mom and dad, mom, dad this is Ash, my big sister."

Ash laughed at her introduction. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Orion. I'm happy to meet you!" she said smiling and held out her hand for them to take.

"Nice to finally meet the infamous Ash Weasley. Chase hasn't stopped talking about you!"

"I hope he only talks about my good personality traits!"

"Yeah, didn't hear of any bad ones yet," Mrs. Orion said smiling at the girl.

"We were watching you race... or at least the parts we could see. Congratulations on making the third place" Mr Orion added, shaking her hand with a strong grip, that she returned.

After a few minutes of talking to the Orions, Ash became a bit jittery and started looking around again.

"Chase, did you see my family or the Zabini's anywhere?"

"Um, yeah I think they were somewhere over there," he told her, pointing into the direction of the goal.

"Thank you," she said and gave him a peck on the cheek before saying goodbye to his parents and grabbing onto Draco's arm and pulling him through the crowd with her - frantically searching for her family.

After a few more minutes, she finally caught sight of a group of red heads. When she rushed nearer, she saw that all of her cousins - with the exception of Ron and Ginny had come to Arjeplog.

"Charlie! Bill! George! Fred!... Percy?! What are all of you doing here?" she said, eyes wide as she ran up to them, letting go of Draco's hand as she jumped onto the back of her cousin Charlie - forcing him to give her a "piggy-ride".

"Mom called us all panicked and stuff when she saw you in the heap of the racers. She didn't really think you would pull it off," Bill told her sternly and shook his head. "I can't believe you've done something like this!"

Ash looked down at the ground in shame. "I'm sorry."

Bill sighed, "no your not. But it's alright. We're just happy that you came out of this race alive."

"And on the podium," she added with a grin.

"On the podium?"

"Did anyone see the end of the race? I came in third!" she said frustrated that she had to repeat it so often - but then again she was so proud of herself, that she didn't really care.

"Third?"

"Yes!"

"Dritter?"

"JA!"

"Congratulations!" he shouted and the other three - minus Percy congratulated and hugged her as well.

"So now it all OK?" Percy asked snobbishly. "Just because she got third, we forget about her running away again, making mom go through all the sorrow and pain?"

"Come on, Perc! She said she was sorry," George said, not wanting to let go of his little baby cousin.

"She needs to finally learn to take responsibility!"

Fred and George rolled their eyes. "Oh shut it, Perc. Why do you care anyway? Aren't you the one that broke her heart by not wanting to have anything to do with our family?" they told him, before ignoring him and concentrating solely on Ash again.

"Come on, lets find mom and dad. I think their with your friend Blaise..." Charlie said and took her hand. Quickly Ash reached behind her and took Draco's hand as well. "And who's that?"

"Draco Malfoy... my boyfriend," she said shrinking back and standing in front of him protectively - no idea how her cousins would treat her boyfriend.

"Your... boyfriend?" All five of the asked tensely.

"Y-Yeah."

"Hm... Does Mom and Dad know?" Bill said eyeing Draco from head to toe.

"Yes."

"Alright, lets get going then..." he said tight lipped and Draco followed Ash and her cousins to where Molly and Arthur where standing with the Zabini's.

"We've found her!" Fred called to his mother as they neared and the four adults and Blaise turned to see them.

"Merlin Ash! You're alright! I was so worried!" Molly cried hugging Ash, then she straightened and stared at Ash. "You young lady are in deep trouble!"

"Come on Molly! Be nice! I just fought against Dragons!"

"Oh, but you haven't fought against me yet! And trust me I am worse."

"Molly. I won't say it again. I'm sorry for what I said yesterday, but I still mean every word I said."

Molly looked at her niece, tight-lipped. "Alright. Your nearly done with school and your over-age. Do whatever you want, but don't come running to me when you're on the ground."

"Trust me, I wont," she answered proudly. Everyone around them stayed quiet. "Now, will you congratulate me on making third place, or should I go again?"

Molly stared at the girl in front of her and sighed, a smile spreading on her face, "Congratulations, dear..."

"Thank you, Aunt Molly"

"Congratulations love," Arthur said coming forward to hug his niece tightly before letting the Zabini's congratulate her as well.

"You look like a Zombie!" Blaise commented as he hugged her tightly.

"Why thank you."

"You're welcome!"

Ash grinned up at him, before turning back to Draco and hugging him tightly. "I think I'll freshen up a bit before I have to go onto the podium looking like I just came out of hell!" she told him, placing a loving kiss on his lips and vanishing to the racers dress rooms to put on new clothing and shower.

"Third place goes to Ash Weasley," the Announcer screamed as Ash stepped onto the podium with a grin on her face and waved at her cheering family and friends.

Quickly she diverted her attention back at the ceremony and took the small bronze trophy from the plump wizard that was holding it out to her. It was in the form of a Swedish Short-Snout that was guarding his nest.

Ash giggled at the sight. "Nice, now I'll always be reminded of the breeding grounds," she muttered to herself - making Olaf and Tina laugh because they could hear her.

"You got out off it alive, so be happy!" Olaf whispered to her while Tina stepped onto the podium.

"I am! You should have seen my awesome fight for life! Ask the Keepers that just watched me be attacked!" she grinned and applauded heavily as Olaf stepped onto the podium receiving his trophy of a gigantic golden Swedish Short-Snout.

"Here you have them!" the Announcer boomed "Our top three broom racers of the year 1998! Olaf Andersen, Tina Lundstrom and Ash Weasley!"

Olaf Andersen took Tina's and Ash's hand and held them high, while the crowd went ballistic and they were staring at a shower of flashing lights. Next the three of them took a bottle of Champagne each and shook it so that they could spray the prickly alcohol at each other, grinning and laughing.

++++++

"Miss Weasley? How do you feel being the youngest racer in the history of the Annual Broom Race and then even placing third?"

Ash looked at the other two winners and grinned, "I'm ecstatic! I still can't really believe that I managed! Especially with all the awesome competition! I remember standing at the starting line and looking around me, seeing all of the Nordic Quidditch team, Konrad Weiss from the German national team and so many more awesome professional Quidditch and Quodpot players. I nearly fainted! And now I'm sitting here giving an Interview! It's just... wow!"

"Is it true that you nearly couldn't start in the race because you came late for the registration?"

"Yeah... Well, you see. I actually didn't plan on participating this year. It was a total coincidence that I even got a place. I was at a friend's house and his mother's fiancée wanted to take part in the race, but do to the risks, my friend's mother wasn't too fond of the idea and I offered to race instead. The racing people allowed the change, but I only got the invitation on the day of the race - 15 minutes before I had to register - and I was in England at the time! So yeah I rushed over here and made it a minute after the registration time, but thankfully they saw that it wasn't possible for me to come any earlier and therefore allowed me to participate anyway."

"And is it true that you flew through the Dragon Breeding Grounds?"

"Yes."

"How did you survive?"

"Well, I have an absolutely awesome cousin who is Dragonologist. Well, he taught me the most basic rules to follow when you fly through a Dragon reserve and also which spells are helpful to defend yourself."

"What kind of rules?"

"Well, the most basic one was to never cross a dragon reserve, but then there a few useful ones such as never be the first, second or third one to be in a clearing, also to keep yourself hidden as much as possible, etc."

"How old are you exactly?"

"I became 17 this month."

"And to which school do you go?"

"I transferred to Hogwarts this year."

"Why did you transfer?"

"Family reasons that I don't wish to share with the world."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"Did he cheer for you today?"

"Yes."

"Who is he?"

"I don't think that has anything to do with the race."

"Do you plan on becoming a professional Quidditch player of racer when you graduated?"

"No, I want to sing."

"Do you already have a contract with anyone?"

"No."

"What do you think about the colour pink?"

Ash starred into the crowd confused. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked, and looked at the professional Quidditch players, who just shrugged.

"Will you sing at the after party this evening?"

"I don't think so."

"Is there anything you want to tell the world?"

"Um... Be true to yourself, whatever the world throws at you."

"Thank you, Ash Weasley. Now are there any other questions you would like to ask these racers?"

++++++

Later on this evening, Ash was dressed in a wonderful white and black cocktail dress, which Draco had bought her as she remembered that she didn't bring any clothes for the after party.  
Together with Draco at her side she strode through the crowd and talked with many people she didn't know and would forget just the next minute. Most of the time however, she stayed with the people she knew and loved and enjoyed the feeling of victory as they cheered for her and they drank together.

After a few hours, the teenagers separated themselves from the adults, following the younger racers to a wizard Disco in Arjeplog. There they went straight for the dance floor where they enjoyed their youth dancing and singing along to the music they knew.

Ash was grinding on Draco and enjoyed the feel of his touch, which - even if she didn't want to admit it - she missed a lot.

Soon she found Draco guiding her towards the toilet.

"Draco! What are you doing?" she asked, but Draco only answered by kissing her roughly.

Feeling his rough, lustful kiss again made Ash's knees go weak as he pushed her up against the wall in front of the toilets. Grabbing her ass, he quickly opened the toilet doors and carried her inside. Thankfully no one was there.

"Here?" she gasped as he carried her into one of the bathroom stalls.

"Why not?" he asked, sucking at her neck, making her moan with pleasure.

"It's a public toilet! Someone could hear us!" she whispered weakly as his hands roamed her body. She really did miss his touch...

"Not if you'll be quiet," he whispered into her ear, while his hand travelled under her dress...

+++++

"I can't believe it!" Ash sighed as Draco and she walked out of the bathroom stall and back to the disco. "Where is my mind?"

"Oh come on, I know you loved it," he whispered into her ear seductively, while taking a hold of her hips from behind and pushing himself against her back.

Ash's knees went weak again and she would be lying if she disagreed. "But that doesn't change the fact that we just did it in a disco toilet stall," she muttered, but didn't have the inner strength to step away from Draco. Something about him made her weak...

Finally they joined their group again. "Where were you?" Fred and George asked simultaneously, giving Draco a glare.

"We... We... " Ash said blushing - thank Merlin for the dark lights.

"We were outside talking," Draco helped her out.

"Yeah... talking..."

"We want to start heading back to England soon. Are you coming?" Blaise told them, looking at Ash intently.

"Yes, of course!" she told him nodding and all together they walked out off the Disco - saying goodbye to Olaf, who they passed on the way - and stood in the fresh winter air of the Sweden.

"How are we getting home?" Chase asked.

"The bus," Ash told him, with a grin and started waving her wand around.

The three male Slytherin's looked at her confused, but soon understood as a purple triple-decker bus came to a halt in front of the group.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, where may we take you on this wonderful evening?"  
Ash looked at the people around her. "Where do you want to go?"

"We have to go to my place in Romania," Charlie answered for him, Fred and George. "That means the Romanian Dragon Reserve," he told Stan the conductor.

"I'll need to go to Rugby near Birmingham," Chase told him.

"We need to go to the Zabini Manor" Blaise said and looked at Draco, "you coming with us, I guess?"

Draco bit his lip, "Sorry, I can't I need to go back home," he said looking at Ash apologetically, before turning to Stan "Malfoy Manor".


	40. Chapter 39 - Truth

The sun shone brightly as the strawberry blond girl woke up the next morning, with the sun in her eyes.

"Did this really happen?" she asked herself, as she lay under her warm bed cover and stared at the ceiling. Slowly she turned her head left and saw the trophy standing next to her. "Merlin!" she screamed and jumped out of bed with a grin, taking the trophy in her hands. "I ... I really did it!" she cheered happily.

To her all of yesterdays events seemed to her like a dream. Starting, flying, fighting, getting in third... Draco coming and cheering for her... the after party with professional Quidditch players that had known her name! Could that really have been reality?

But she had the trophy that told her, "yes it is reality."

Without caring how she looked, without changing clothes or running under the shower, Ash rushed into Blaise's room.

"Blaise!" she cried and jumped on top of the - still - sleeping boy.

"Oh, bloody Merlin, Ash! You're heavy!"

"No I'm not! I'm light as a feather."

"Then why do I feel you jumping on me?"

"Because your over sensitive!"

"Yeah, sure I am. Now if you excuse me, I need to sleep."

"I got third at the Annual Broom Race!"

"I know, I've been there! I've seen it."

"I got third in the Annual Broom Race."

"I know."

"I got third in the Annual Broom Race."

Blaise opened his eyes and looked up at the beaming girl in front of him. He sighed gently, admitting defeat and knowing that Ash would not let him sleep any longer.

"Congratulations Ash," he said sitting up and hugging Ash tightly.

"I can't believe it!"

"I know. You did quite well."

Ash grinned up at him, "only well?" she asked faking offend, "I am the absolute most awesome person in this room right now!"

"Yes, you defiantly are" he told her smiling and suddenly noticed she was still in her sleeping wear - which do to her drunkenness of the last night consisted of a bra and underwear. Blaise cleared his throat, "would you mind changing?"

"Huh?"

"Clothes."

"Huh?"

"Put on clothes!" he told her grabbing her shoulders and shaking his friend.

"Oh," she said looking down, she hadn't noticed her outfit yet. Slowly she blushed. "Be right back," she muttered before getting of the bed and running back into her room.

"Geez... That girl trusts me way too much..." Blaise mumbled to himself as he got off the bed and got ready for the day himself.

++++++

"Good Morning Oriana, morning Hector! Isn't it a wonderful day today?" Ash asked joining the two adults in the dinning room with Blaise at her side.

"Morning you two," Oriana said, "when did you get back?"

Ash looked at Blaise questioningly. "6 AM?" she asked unsure.

"Yeah... That sounds about right."

"Really? You must have been having fun."

"Yeah, it was awesome!"

"Is Draco still sleeping?"

"No, he didn't come home with us," Blaise answered.

"Oh... OK."

"By the way, what time is it now?"

"12.30."

"Ah... hmm... never before slept so long," Ash mumbled, sitting down in her assigned seat left of Oriana.

A few minutes of silence spread across the table, the only sound coming from Hector who was reading the news paper. After quietly eating her breakfast, she looked up at the paper and nearly fell of the chair by what she saw.

Her picture was happily displayed on the front page of the Daily Prophet, covering a whole quarter of the page. In the picture she just took the bronze trophy and was grinning and waving the my family, who seemed to have been exactly in the direction of the camera because it looked as if she was waving and smiling right at the reader. Right next to it was a big headline. **Hogwarts student Ash Weasley is third at Annual Broom Race**

Without warning Hector, Ash ripped the Prophet out of his hands and starred at the page in front of her.

"Hey!" Hector bellowed, but stayed quiet when he saw her staring at her own face.

**Finally a English citizen is standing at the top of Broom Racing, once again. Ashlin Weasley, placed third in yesterdays Annual Broom Race, right after Olaf Andersen - who won the race the third time in a row - and Tina Lundstrom. "I'm ecstatic!" she told the Daily Prophet in an interview. "I can't believe I actually managed.  
Only getting the invitation 15 minutes before registration stop, Ashlin's start was not quite as smooth as her race was... continued on page 3**

"I'm in the newspapers," she said.

"Yeah, what did you expect?" Hector asked, "you got third place in the Annual Broom Race. Its a big thing. Especially because there were no British that finished the race as one of the top three in the last 20 years or so."

"23 years" Ash corrected reading it from the newspaper, still not really understanding why she was looking at her picture in the Daily Prophet.

"Um, honey... you also got quite a few owls..." Oriana told her quietly, while motioning for a house-elf to bring in a sack full of letters.

"Holy Moly... Is there anything interesting from people I know in there?" she asked quietly, staring at the bag in shock.

"Look through it yourself."

And that is what she did, after finishing her food, she took the letters up to her room and sat on one of the couches, looking through the letters.

"Don't know her, don't know her, don't know her..." she muttered and placed the letters next to her.

"Malfoy?" she said surprised as she saw a letter with the address of the Malfoy Manor on it. Quickly she opened the letter.

**Dear Ash,**

We congratulate you on your victory at the Annual Broom Race, and would welcome it if you could join my family and I during dinner today.

We would appreciate you coming to the Malfoy Manor at 23.00 o'clock, dressed in your best dress.

See you this evening,  
Narcissa Malfoy

Ash read through it again ten times, grinning. She was able to see Draco again tonight! _This day really can't get any better!_ she thought happily, as she read through the other letters.

She also got letters from Ron and Ginny, Hermione and Harry, Tracy and a couple others by people she knew from school and that wanted to congratulate her.

"Your starting to get famous, aren't you?" Blaise asked from her bedroom door as he watched her read through all the letters and reply to them.

Ash beamed back at him, "so it seems!"

"You like it?"

"I love it."

"11 PM is quite a late time to eat dinner, don't you think so?" Ash asked Blaise, who was sitting on her couch while she was standing in her closet trying on different dresses.

"Yeah, but they always had the weirdest of time to invite people to their home," Blaise answered bored as he stared out of the black window.

"If you say so..." she answered as she came out of her closet and showed herself to her friend.

She was wearing a long black dress that curved around her body as if it were tailor made just for her. It was very simple, but that was exactly what made the dress one of her finest, it was elegant.

"Wow," Blaise said with a smile. "Very nice."

Ash grinned at him, "so you think that they'll like it?"

"Definitely."

"Alright then. I'll start heading out!" Ash told Blaise and gave him a hug before walking out off her room, leaving him standing there alone. "Don't wait up!"

++++++

Ash took a deep breath as she walked up to the door of the Malfoy Manor. She had just apparated herself from the Zabini Manor and had come a bit early.

Swiftly she raised her hand and gently knocked on the door, which opened with a start.

"Yes? How may I help you?"

"I'm Ash Weasley. I'm expected."

"Ah, yes. Mrs. Malfoy told me to show you to Master Draco's room."

"Too Draco's room?" Ash asked confused as the elf beckoned her inside and quietly closed the door behind her.

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy told me to tell you that Master Draco will be waiting there for you."

Still confused Ash followed the little elf foolishly, still not quite understanding what was happening. "Is Draco not finished for dinner yet?"

"Master Draco already had dinner."

"What do you mean?"

"The dinner was served at 7 PM like on every day," the elf told her, adding to Ash's confusion with every step as they walked up the stairs and turned corners. The more she talked with the elf, confusion slowly turned into dread.

"What do you mean? On the invitation it said I should be here at 11 for dinner."

"That is correct. That is what Mrs. Malfoy told you."

"Then why would they have eaten dinner without me and why are we going to Draco's room?" Ash asked furious.

"You will understand shortly, Miss. Mrs. Malfoy wanted you to see something."

Ash stared at the little elf confused and frustrated. She didn't know what else she could say or asked, so she simple followed the creature through the Manor, nearing Draco's room with every step.

After a few minutes, the little elf stopped in front of a big wooden door and motioned for Ash to go through it.

Hesitantly Ash reached out for the door handle. With a last glance at the house elf, Ash gulped down the bad feeling that started spreading in her guts and pushed open the door.

What she saw and heard made her whole body freeze.

There was Draco... in his bed... naked... under him lay Pansy Parkinson, also dressed in only her birthday suit.

The smell of sweat and sex lay in the air. The last echoes from Pansy's last moan and Draco's grunts still vibrated through the room. Her own eyes stung with hot tears at the sight of Draco thrust deep into Pansy, roughly kissing her lips.

The two of them had frozen up at the sound off the opening door, just as Ash had by the sight. Slowly they turned their head to look at the disturbance. When Draco saw Ash, his eyes became the size of platters and Pansy giggled stupidly.

Hearing the giggle, Ash as well as Draco glared at her, daring her to shut up.

"Ash..." Draco said, focusing on the girl in the door frame again.

She diverted her gaze back at Draco's face. "Yeah?"

"It's... It's..."

"Not what I think?" Ash looked down at the interlocked bodies of the two in bed. "I'm pretty sure I am correct with the assumption that you were having sex with Pansy just now. Am I correct?"

Draco noticed that we was still penetrating Pansy and swiftly pulled himself out, reaching for the blanket to cover Pansy with.

"Ash listen to me, this doesn't mean any-" he started and walked towards his girlfriend.

"It doesn't mean anything?" she gasped enraged. "This," she pointed widely at the whole situation. "This doesn't mean anything? Oh how wrong you are Malfoy. This means everything," she screamed, and slapped the boy when he took another step towards her.

Again Pansy giggled. "What's there to giggle Pug-face?"

"I told you he was mine, he will always be mine."

Ash stormed into the room and pulled Pansy of the bed by her hair, throwing her towards Draco, who was till standing at the door, shocked by Ash's actions.

All of a sudden he noticed Ash pale. Pale like the linen of his bed... Her eyes were wide and she was staring at Pansy in shock.

Confused Draco looked down at Pansy and saw what Ash saw. Next he looked back up at Ash, who had also shifted her gaze and was now glaring at him. Her hands balling into fists as she saw the same on him.

She suddenly looked scared and started backing away from them. But then she changed her mind and charged past them, out the door and down the corridor she came from before Draco had any time to react.

Swiftly Ash fled down the hallway, down the stairs and ran right passed Mrs. and Mr. Malfoy, who looked after her with a small smirk on their face.

In record time Ash reached the door and pushed it open, running out off the Mansion and apparating away into the night.

When Ash reappeared in the world, she was standing in front of the Zabini Manor and rushed through the door. Passed the house elves, passed a confused Oriana and Hector and straight into her room.

With a quick wave of her wand, the door was tightly locked and she quickly threw herself onto her bed.

"Why are you back already?" a concerned voice asked from another door - the one she forgot to lock.

Ash stared up at the owner of the voice, running make-up and tears straining her cheeks.

"He's a cheating whore and a freaking Death Eater!" she answered screaming at her friend.


	41. Chapter 40 - Confessions

The crying girl screamed at Blaise as he stood in the door frame.

Seeing the pain in her eyes he rushed over to her wanting to hold her tightly against his chest. But as soon as he touched her, she flinched back and moved away from him, shaking her head before jumping out off her bed and running out of her room, onto the Balcony.

"Ash!" Blaise called after her, but she was gone again, apparated away into the night. "Fuck," Blaise bellowed and stared into the starless night. "What happened?" he asked the darkness concerned...

Without warning the door behind him flew open, revealing his mother in the door frame.

"What happened?" she asked Blaise, seeing that Ash wasn't in her room.

"I don't know... Something must have gone wrong at the Malfoys, she said something about a cheating whore before she apparated away," he said and let himself fall onto the couch.

Anxiously Oriana took her son in her arms - she saw that he needed someone to hold.

"Blaise, do you have any idea where she might be?" the mother whispered into his ear.

The dark skinned boy hugged his mother tightly as well, shaking his head. "I can think of a multiple places she could be... all around the world."

"Think. She needs someone right now."

"I know. But..."

"No but's. I see the way you look at her. The warmth in your eyes when you see her, or only think about her. The pain when she's with Draco. I know this feeling, I've felt it before. I know how much it hurts to see them love someone else, to only be their friend... or not even that... You love that girl, don't let my actions confuse you and shy away from it. Go after her, find her and be there for her," she told her son quietly and ushered him away.

Nodding the dark skinned boy stepped back, out on the Balcony and apparated away.

"Ash!" she heard Blaise calling out for her while he neared her 'hiding spot' leaning against her parents grave stones, staring up at the stars, while tears quietly ran down her face.

"Ash!" she heard him repeat her name. She knew she had been foolish to run away from him, she needed someone right now... even if it hurt.

"H-here," she coaxed with a broken voice.

"Ash! There you are. I knew I'd find you here!" he smiled softly and went up to his friend, wrapping his arms around her trembling body. As soon as she felt his touch the last strength in her seemed too flee and she crumbled to the ground crying.

"Shhh," Blaise cooed and pulled her into his lap, hugging her tightly. "Shh, tell me what happened."

Ash tensed at the memory as she relived it. "I went to the Malfoys and as I got there the Houseelf lead me straight to Draco's room where I caught him sleeping with Pansy! I can't believe how stupid I am! I should have known!"

"No, you can't have known, none of us did or could," Blaise assured her.

"No, I already had the idea before... but I just didn't want to believe it!"

"Shh," Blasie chimed, "shh, everything will be alright."

"No it wont," she screamed. "That - that - that ass... How could he do this to me? Why did he do this? Was I not good enough for him?" she cried clinging onto Blaise's frame as if her life depended on it.

"No, your too good for him. He's a little spineless git that just cant see what's right before his eyes. Even if its such an beautiful angel like you," he cooed and softly placed his fingers under her chin so she would look at him and see the truth in his words.

Ash sniffed when she looked him in the eyes, while he brushed away a few tears with his soft thumb.

Slowly and a bit confused she watched as he kissed the tears that where running down, tainting her beautiful face.

Her heart launched. She needed someone to hold her. She needed someone to tell her that she's beautiful, she needed someone to kiss her...

Her tears started to ebb away and quietly she leaned into him. Staring into his eyes as her full lips met his. A spark of electricity ran down her spine, stronger then she every felt it before. At first she felt the boy under her relax, lean into the kiss as well, brush her cheek and pulling her deeper by the back of her head, but in the next second Blaise tensed and pushed her away.

"No!" he said and stumbled away from her. "No Ash. I will not be the rebound guy."

Ash looked at him shocked.

Blaise had pushed her away.

Blaise, who always was there for her, he guy that she could always lean on and trust... pushed her away.

Tears welled up in her eyes again and she started sobbing uncontrollably.

He saw the tears in her eyes and quickly kneeled down in front of her again, pulling her back into his arms. She tried to resist, but he was stronger. Pulling her into his chest holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear. "I love you. I love you more then you could ever imagine. It hurts me so much to see you hurt like this. I wish I could just take all that pain away from you, never let you feel hurt again... but please, don't make me your rebound. I want more than that," he whispered into her ear, while her tears stained his shirt and her body trembled and shook next to his.

They stayed at the graveyard, holding each other for hours. Slowly the moon walked across the sky and was soon followed by the sun creeping over the distant mountains, tainting the sky in a wonderful orangey pink light.

The clouds looked like pink sheep that grazed on the blue sky, as Blaise and Ash watched the sun set in silence.

Finally he noticed Ash's body stop trembling and her breathing become more regular.

Gently he looked at the angelic face of the girl in his arms. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open a bit. Softly he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and stroked away the last tears that rolled out of her eyes even though she was sleeping.

"Sleep well my love," he whispered and kissed her forehead, before closing his own eyes and letting sleep take him over as well.

The sun was high in the sky when the two teenagers woke up again. At first they didn't say a word, just looked around at the other snow covered graves or up at the sky, thinking. Finally the girl spoke up.

"I'm sorry," the girl said, still leaning on the boys chest.

The boy looked down at her confused. "For what?"

"For kissing you."

The boy swallowed hard, "don't be."

"No," she shook her head. "I am. Yesterday was a mistake. I wanted to take advantage of you, use you... That's unforgivable."

The boy looked at the girl in his arms, lips tight and sighed, "it's alright. You weren't able to think rationally at that time. I ... understand."

The strawberry blond girl looked up at him and smiled a sad smile. She knew she hurt him. Not just last night, but now. He had confessed his love for her... Told her that he loved her - something he had never done before. He had jumped over his own shadow and all she did was use him. And now, she even figuratively bitch slapped him by saying that it was all a mistake, telling him that she didn't feel the same and that this could never be.

Although she didn't know... maybe one day.

But not right now. Not after she was just betrayed like that. Not before she had gotten over _him_.

All of a sudden she shivered, only now really noticing the cold they were captured in. With a sigh she removed her head from his warm chest and sat up straight. "It's cold. Lets go."

"Where too?"

"Home," she said looking at the boy.

"Home sounds good," he nodded and allowed her to wrap her arms around him to apparate to the Manor in one go.

"Hold on tight," she said before they vanished from the worlds surface.


	42. Chapter 41 - Home

When the two teenagers reappeared in front of the gigantic manor once more, the girl pulled them right out of the grounds again.

"Ash! What was that?" Blaise asked confused, finding them at a small clearing not to far from the Manor.

"Draco... he was.. there. In front of the door..."

"Draco?"

"Yeah."

"What is he doing here?"

"I don't know and I really don't care. I don't want to see or talk to him right now!" she said furry shining brightly in her eyes.

"Wait here. I'll talk to him." Blaise told her and apparated away, leaving his friend alone.

While Ash waited for Blaise to come back and tell her that the coast is clear, she looked at her surroundings. It was quiet a boring piece of forest. Tall pine tree's formed the clearing and in its middle the ground was rather dry and grey.

_At least there's no snow_ Ash thought to herself as she sat down and leaned her upper body against one of the trees.

And there she waited...

and she waited...

and waited...

and waited...

and waited...

and... waited...

and... waited...

and... wai - "OK, this is taking _way_ too long!" she grumbled and pushed herself of the ground.

Apparating back to the manors front door, her eyes grew in size as she saw what was happening here.

Blaise was straddling Draco and was punching him again and again. Then Draco managed to shift positions and he was now on top of Blaise and hitting his face as if there was no tomorrow.

"You morons! What are you doing?" Ash screamed and ran up to them. When she wanted to drag Draco away from Blaise, he lashed back his hand and accidentally smashed it against her jaw, making her fly backwards.

Shocked at first Ash touched her jaw and spat out the blood that had gathered in her mouth as she bit her tongue at the impact. Next came the anger.

Swiftly she got of the ground again and raced to Draco, body checking him off Blaise. Seeing red, she let her instincts take over and slapped Draco over and over again.

She knew she was hurting him - she's a bad ass beater! Of course every hit she dealt was heavy and precise - but she didn't care.

Draco was barely conscious, when Ash finally stopped her game of Slap-the-Draco. Tears were once again running down her cheeks and she was leaning over him, panting with exhaustion.

"Why?" she sobbed quietly, when her fury had been replaced by sorrow once again. "Why did you do this to me?"

Draco looked up at her with an emotionless face. "Why not?"

Ash looked down at him n shock. "W-w-what?"

"Why not? You weren't there, you were only spending your time with Blaise. So I ask you. Why not?"

"You didn't want me to come over to your place!"

"Of course I did! I... I ... I just didn't have time..."

"Oh please!" Ash spat at him, "as if anyone would believe that! You didn't have time because of your little affair!"

"No, there were other things that preoccupied me!"

Ash thought back to his bedroom and what she saw. "Yes... I know that," she said quietly, so quietly that Draco had to strain his ears to hear.

Strengthening her voice again by shaking the memory out off her head, she got of Draco and said, "we're over". Next she walked over to Blaise to check his condition. He was unconscious.

"Bloody hell..." she muttered stroking over his bruises softly.

"What do you mean? We're over?" a shaky voice asked her from behind.

"Is it really that hard to understand?" she asked back without turning around.

"We can't be over!" he said louder.

"Why not?" she asked mockingly.

Furious, Draco grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her up. "You can not break up with me! No one breaks up with me!" he screamed and threw her on the ground - away from Blaise.

"You come to _my_ school, you come to _my_ house, you steal _my_ friends and now _you_ what to break up with _me_?! I will _not_ allow it!" he yelled at her and took a threatening step nearer to her with every word.

"I'm not asking for your permission!" Ash yelled back at him, not letting herself get intimidated by the platinum blond boy in front of her. "I'm stating a **fact**"

Shocked by her reaction, Draco froze on the spot. He saw the defiance in her eyes, the taunting smirk telling him to hit her, give her another reason to end their relationship.

Suddenly a moan came from behind him and Draco cursed. "This," he pointed at Ash and himself, "is not over," he said and apparated away before Blaise could fully regain his consciousness.

The rest of the holidays was... pretty quiet and uneventful - if compared to the first week.

After Malfoy's little 'escapade', Ash didn't have the gigantic _urge_ to do a lot of things any more and Blaise was still embarrassed at how fast he had gone unconscious in his fight with Draco. Hence, the two of them mainly stayed at home, watched movie's and ate ice cream.  
The only thing they did was go to the concert - to which Ash had gotten Blaise two tickets - and after a few days Blaise got her to visit Chase with him - but other then that everything stayed very boring.

Right now Ash, Blaise and Chase were sitting in the train - away from any other form of human life. The train would depart in only a few minutes, and outside of the train the families were still entering the platform, gathering and saying their goodbyes.

Our main character was starring at the wall, while her (not really) little brother was starring out of the window, watching the witches and wizards of the United Kingdom gather and her best (male) friend - who (as she knew now) had a crush on her - was reading a book.

"There she is!" Chase called jumping from his seat.

"Where who is?" Ash asked him uninterested.

"Tracy."

"Tracy!" Ash said jumping from her seat as well and starring out off the window. Sure enough, there stood Tracy. Black hair, tanned skin and a massive grin on her face. She was still standing with her parents, but you could see her looking around, searching for something or someone.

Suddenly Chase opened the window of their compartment and stuck his head out. "Tracy! We're here!" he called out to her and after a few minutes of yelling Tracy finally turned around. Her grin broadened as she saw Chase and Ash looking out of the train and waving at her.

Briskly she turned around to say ciao to her parents, gathered her stuff and off she was. Onto the train and down the corridor, running towards the compartment that she had seen her friends occupy.

"Ash!" she cried when she neared the door.

"Tracy!" Ash cried when she heard her friends call and quickly she flung the (locked) door open and embraced her friend in a gigantic hug. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too!" Tracy told her laughing while choking in Ash's grip.

Once Ash finally let go of her, she quickly hugged Chase and then Blaise. "Where are the others?" she asked when the trio closed the compartment door again and locked it.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, temporarily forgetting about her pain.

"Um... Draco?"

Ash tensed as her friend said his name. She had not told Tracy yet... she hadn't wanted to ruin her holidays. "He - he's not going to sit here... with us..." she answered, confusing Tracy.

"What do you mean?"

Ash turned her head to look at Blaise, he could see tears in her eyes - but knew that she needed to say it herself. Therefore, he returned the gaze with a daring face.

"We... broke up..." Ash muttered just loud enough for Tracy to hear.

"You what?" she asked, sure she misunderstood.

"We broke up," Ash said louder this time.

"But why?

Ash held down a choke and sat down, her eyes looking pleadingly at Blaise.

"He cheated on her," he obliged with a sigh.

"What?!" Tracy said jumping up from the seat she just took.

"He cheated on me... with Pansy." Ash added.

Tracy looked down at Ash, eyes wide. "Oh Merlin, my dear!" she cooed and sat down next to Ash, pulling the blond girl into her arms and stroking her hair. "How - how are you?" she asked carefully.

Ash gave a dry laugh. "How do you suppose I am? I'm just peachy..." she said sarcastically, then added with a small grin, that reminded of her normal self, " well... I will be as soon as I had my vengeance."

"Your vengeance?"

"Yep. It'll be a master piece..." she said hugging her friend tightly and grinning up at her with angry tears in her eyes. "A true master piece."

Tracy watched her broken hearted friend sit on the compartment bench and read a book that she had just pulled out off her bag.

_Draco had an affair with Pansy, huh? _Tracy asked herself mentally, not quite believing it. Sure, if Ash told her this, it must be true... but Draco loved Ash. She had never seen him this happy before. Not when he was single, not when he flirted and sneaked away other girls every night and definitely not when he was with Pansy last year.

"I don't get it," she said out loud making the other people in her compartment turn their heads to face her. "Why would he do it? I don't get it."

Ash looked up at her with a confused face, then shrugged, "I have no idea why. But personally I'm already over the stage that I want to know why he did it."

Tracy gave her a small smile and silence began to dominate the compartment once again. This time Tracy used the quiet to observe her friends closer.

Ash was still staring at her book, but she wasn't reading it. Her eyes stayed fixed on one place, she never turned the page - however many minutes may have gone by - and Tracy could see from her tense shoulders that she was thinking hard.

_Plotting,_ Tracy guessed silently and turned her attention to Blaise.

He was sitting next to Ash - about a meter in between their bodies - staring out of the window with a sad face. However, he wasn't looking at the scenery that swept past them. He was looking at Ash.

His body turned towards her in a 2° angle, his face harboured in his hand, his eyes planted on her reflection in the window.

_He told her his feelings and she rejected him,_ she observed, feeling sorry for her friends.

Next she turned to look at Chase. He was the outsider in the little group. A bit like the Gryffindor's that Ash always brought along to play with.

He was hard to decipher. One year younger then the rest of them, he had the greatest potential of becoming the new 'Prince of Slytherin' once Draco was out of the picture. Many people already called him 'Crown Prince' due to that fact.

Before that year, Tracy had never really noticed him. He had been a nobody. But as soon Ash came and became his 'big sister' as he liked to call her, his reputation shot into the air and suddenly he was the most popular guy in his grade.

_Is that all that binds him to her? The fear of loosing his status once again if he cuts the ties?_ Tracy asked herself but then shook her head. _No. He may be the type of calculating parasite, but he's in this for real,_ she decided as she saw his calculating eyes sweep over Ash and a shimmer of pity settle in them at her sight.

Again Tracy turned to look at Ash. "Ash. What is the plan?"

Ash looked up at Tracy with a small sad smile. "I have no idea," she said laughing ironically and shaking her head in in confusion. "I have absolutely no idea," she repeated and scrunched up her face. "I'll be right back," she added before jumping up and calmly walking out of the compartment door.

When the door closed behind her, Tracy looked at Blaise confused. "Where do you think she's going?"

Blaise looked at the door with a shrug, "I guess she wants to be alone for a while."

"Do you think she'll ever turn back to herself?" Chase asked softly.

Tracy and Blaise looked at Chase, before looking at the floor in silence. Finally Blaise broke the silence. "I'm sure she will be back to normal... as soon as she is satisfied that Draco feels the same pain as her..."

"And when will that be?" Chase asked frustrated - he's been seeing the melodramatic Ash for over an week now.

"As soon as I found him and used the Cruciatus Curse on him?" Ash stated when she re-entered the compartment, surprising them all.

"You want to what?" Tracy asked shocked.

"I was joking. Patrick beat me to that one," she said sitting down again and running her hands over her face.

Sighing she looked up at the other three again. "I'm sorry for all the trouble you had to go through with me the past week," she said looking intendedly at Blaise and Chase. "I won't be such a pain once we're back in school."

"You're... You're no pain," Blaise tried to argue, but was only met with an unconvinced gaze.

"Thanks for the try, but I'm annoying even myself right now," she answered and violently shook her head.

Tracy shook her head, "You're really not a pain, but you're not yourself right now. We miss the happy-go-lucky Ash we know and love."

Ash smiled at Tracy fondly. "Thank you."

"No problem, just tell us if there's anything we could do to help you, alright?"

"Of course!"

"Alright, then how about you tell me all about that idiotic idea of racing at the Annual Broom Race!" Tracy cried with wide daring eyes that made the whole compartment laugh.

All of a sudden a loud voice boomed through the corridors, making Ash and the other jump a bit. "We will arrive in Hogwarts in thirty minutes, please be sure to be ready by then."

Grinning Ash looked at her friends, "We're home!"


	43. Chapter 42 - Revenge

Hogwarts. There it stood in front of them. Perjured on a high cliff on the other side of lake, the returning students were only able to see the dark silhouette in front of the brightly shining moon, from the distance. But that was enough to let a smile creep on their faces as they returned to their home.

Swiftly Ash turned to look at her friends and grinned at them excitedly. Happy that their friend seemed to be her 'normal' self again - you couldn't really describe her personality normal at all - they smiled back at her and made their way to the carriages.

However, what they didn't notice was, that her gaze had drifted off a bit to their left, where she had seen a platinum blond boy exit the train, tightly followed by a pug-faced girl and two massive bodies.

As she saw him, her heart skipped a beat in pain and she tried to pry her eyes of him. But something in his face made her stop.

His gaze was fixed on the castle in front of him, but unlike the rest of the student body, his eyes weren't filled with joy, his expression not that of excitement. Instead his eyes held sorrow and fear in them, his face was tense and strict. Letting her eyes wander over the boys body, she saw him rubbing his left arm carefully.

Frowning ever so slightly, Ash slowly bit her lower lip as she let her eyes wander towards her friends again. She had only stared at him for a second, but it felt to her as if it had been a life time.

She saw it, and she knew that boy well enough to know that something was up. Something had happened during the holidays that had changed his life forever and something is about to happen before the year is over.

Whatever it was, only Draco knew about it...

"I'm starving," a voice suddenly interrupted her train of thought.

"Same here!" Ash groaned, pushing the sight of her ex-boyfriend to the back of her mind. "I could eat a whole horse right now!"

"Only a horse? I could eat a whole elephant right now!" Tracy stated with a smirk.

"Oh yeah? well I'm so hungry I could eat a whole horse and a elephant!" Ash countered.

Chase pulled a eyebrow up and started at Ash as if she had three heads. "You're weird. No one can eat a whole horse and an elephant."

Ash looked at her blond friend confused. "No one can eat a whole elephant, par sé."

"Course they can."

"Nope. I'm even a bit sceptical about eating a whole horse alone."

"I saw someone eat a elephant."

"But not a whole elephant, right?"

"Well... in the end there was no elephant left..."

"But he couldn't eat it in one meal, and probably he shared it with someone..." as Ash saw Chase open his mouth to argue back, she quickly added," also, being a giant doesn't count!"

Briskly Chase closed his mouth again and pouted. "You're stupid," he grumbled and turned away from her jokingly.

"Aww, isn't my little brother just cute?" Ash cooed grinning and pulling on his cheeks.

"Oww! Stop it! That hurts!" he cursed at her, while Ash just continued grinning, although she did let go off him.

"Oh, come on Chase. Don't be such a baby!"

"I'm not a baby!"

"You are in this group," Blaise chuckled lightly, reminding Chase that he was their junior by at least a year.

"By the way, when is your birthday?" Ash asked shocked that she hadn't bothered to ask earlier.

"... ummm... I thought I told you... My birthday is on September 1st."

Ash looked at her fellow beater baffled before laughing. "Haha! So - so your 11th birthday was on the day you came to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah..."

"Doesn't that mean that your ... the youngest in your grade?"

Sighing Chase nodded. "Wow... all those girls from sixth grade are paedophiles!" Ash joked grinning and hugged Chase when she saw his annoyed face. "Oh, don't pull that face, before it stays like that!"

"Imagine... one day younger and you would be a 5th year! So be happy!" Ash grinned at him. Suddenly the carriage they were in slowed down and stopped in front of the castle doors.

"WE'RE BACK!" she screamed as the carriage door opened magically and she jumped out, right into a puddle of mud.

"Good job, Ash!" Tracy laughed as she slowly got out of the wagon, skipping over the puddle, as did the other two Slytherins.

Ash looked at them in shock before she started laughing full heartedly herself. "This is sooooo typical!" she chuckled and walked out of the wet dirt that clung to her legs. Drying the dirt in her shoes and legs magically, she shrugged off the idea of changing before dinner and followed her laughing comrades into the Great Hall, where she was greeted by a warm and welcoming feeling.

One week back to school, the whole student body was in rumour fever. Something had happened between Draco Malfoy and Ash Weasley. Something big.

They had been the royalty of Slytherin, the pair that had been as different as day and night, black and white, lollipops and sour cream, but they had fit.

Now they weren't even talking to each other any more. Malfoy was with Pansy, Daphne and the goons and Weasley was sitting with Tracy, Blaise and Chase.

If words needed exchange, they were passed through the friends. If they had seats next to each other in class, they swiftly exchanged places with their peers. What happened? Did they have a fight? Did they really break up? - Nobody knew. Neither of the groups gave any comment about it to anyone.

"Ash!" the voice of a frustrated Ron reached her ear and she look up to greet him. "What did he do to you?" the red head demanded.

The reddish blond girl looked up at her cousin and sighed. It was time to leak the truth. "The git cheated on me with Pug-face. We're over."

"Malfoy did _what_?!" Ron screamed with his full voice volume. "Malfoy cheated on you?"

Finally it leaked. The hall started to erupt in loud chatter as the news spread along the rows of students and was discussed. Every now and then she saw a few heads turn towards her, pity in their eyes, or they turned to look at Malfoy - glares all the way.

"I can't believe he did this to her, poor Ash. But I bet she's already planning her revenge! I can't wait to see what she comes up with!"

"Did you hear what Malfoy did to Weasley! Poor Girl. I hope she kicks his ass!"

"Bloody Hell, I've just heard what that git Malfoy did! I hope Weasley is alright. They looked so good together."

"I'm sure she'll find an awesome way to get revenge."

"How can she not? She's the number one prankster of the school right now! Can you remember the time with Parkinson and Greengrass? Merlin that was bloody brilliant!"

"I'm sure she'll top it this time!"

"Have you heard? I hear her next cue against Malfoy will be her Masterpiece!"

"When do you think she will strike?"

"Its already been over a week that its out that the spineless git Malfoy cheated on her... Do you think she will really do something now? Maybe she's gotten weak..."

"It's a bit disappointing, I thought I'd be able to see the greatest prank/revenge in the century, but nothing. I'm starting to believe that she still loves him..."

"It's unforgivable what he did"

"She's getting weak..."

Rumour after rumour spread through the school. Two weeks after the announcement and three weeks after the Holidays, people despised Draco more and more, while they started believing Ash had gotten to weak, lost her fight, lost her _something_.

After two weeks of hearing how she's gotten weak, she had enough.

Malfoy was sitting in the Great Hall, when Ash came in and send him a small smirk. Quickly she glanced over the Hall - it was packed. Her smirk grew.

She quickly walked to her own place and waited for somebody to start a conversation with her victim. Finally one of the Goons came and asked the blond something. While Malfoy was distracted, Ash quietly used the levitating spell to put some nice bloody newt and goat eyes - which she had gotten out of the potions lab into his cereals.

As soon as she had finished, she just needed to wait.

One minutes passed, two minutes passed, three minu- "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHH" came a ear piercing scream from Malfoy's direction. Quickly he jumped up from his chair, while pushing away the bowl and making it spill over the table.

The scream had reached the whole hall, and every head turned to look at the freaking boy, who was scratching his tongue and glaring at the table, where a few of the eyes were happily rolling around the table.

Seeing his reaction Ash burst out laughing and soon the whole hall followed, cheering for the Weasley, who seemed to have finally started her revenge.

Malfoy was sitting in front of Ash in potions class. Shortly before class ended, she quickly muttered a transformation spell at the things inside of her Nemesis's bag - which was soon filled with a wonderful collection of frogs.

When he picked up the bag to pack away his notes, she heard a grossed out scream, as one of the frogs jumped into his face.

Parkinson was slowly walking down the filled hallway. Smirking she hid herself behind a statue and muttered Wingardium Leviosa making Pansy's skirt turn up side down.

On and on a series of small harmless but entertaining pranks followed Malfoy and Parkinson through their school days for a couple of days. However, - even though they where entertaining, people expected something more, something bigger.

And soon the big finale came.

It was hard work, preparing this vengeance. Getting the people to work with her... To get them to do what she wanted... especially this far into the year... but it was the only thing she could think of that would get the student body satisfied with her revenge.

Malfoy was sitting in the Great Hall once again, when Ash, Chase and four other Slytherins entered the hall and spotted him.

"Malfoy," Ash called loud enough so that he - and a couple of other students - looked up at them. "We need to talk," she said confidently and nodded her head towards the door.

The boy looked at the people around his ex-girlfriend. "Why is the whole Quidditch team here?" he asked silently, not moving from the spot.

"We need to discuss something outside," Ash repeated.

"Well I don't want to."

Ash sighed. "Well, lets get this over with then," she said and looked at her fellow Quidditch players, who nodded at her, confirming that they were all behind her.

However it wasn't Ash that spoke, but Isabel Breaker. "We voted for you to be removed from the Quidditch team," she said icily, handing him a piece of paper which held the signature of all Slytherin players. "We do not trust you to lead us any more. Therefore, we will be searching for a new Seeker this afternoon and we made Ash our new Captain," she added as Draco just started at the piece of paper, speechless.

"You what?"

"Basically, we threw you of the Quidditch team," Chase told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You did what?" he asked, his voice getting louder with every word, so that the whole school could hear him furiously scream the last words.

"You heard us. Do not come to any more trainings and we will need you to return your seeker uniform by tomorrow," Christina Donot said, crossing her arms over her chest determinedly.

"What seems to be the problem here?" a low voice asked from the side and all their heads turned to look at Snape.

"We are throwing Draco out of the Quidditch team," Graham Montague answered him.

"And why? In the middle of the season?"

"We do not believe him fit to lead us any more. He broke our trust in him."

"But why throw him of the team completely? Why not just change the Captain?"

"We don't want him to drag us down any further then he already has," Graham answered again.

Snape scowled at them and then looked at Draco, "what do you say Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco looked at Snape for a second then his gaze wandered to Ash as he remembered their conversation just a few days ago.

+++++++  
_  
"Draco. Follow me," she ordered quietly when she saw him walking down a corridor alone. Quietly she nodded her head towards the direction of an empty classroom._

Knowing that he was on her heels, she never looked over her shoulder, as she walked away from the people and into the classroom.

"Ash. I knew you'd -" he had said, hoping she wanted to forgive him.

"No Malfoy," she cut him off, pushing him away from her with the whole strength of a beater. "We're over. For whatever reason you did it. You knew that as soon as you slipped under the covers of Pansy's bed, we were over," she snapped and finally looked at him - her eyes were stone cold and emotionless.

The boy swallowed hard and looked on the ground, grinding his teeth together.

"Draco," she said more softly, seeing his sadness. "You don't really expect me to forgive you, do you?"

Draco looked up at her, "Would you?"

Ash shook her head in answer and Draco let his eyes settle on the floor again. "Now Draco... I know this sounds... harsh... But people are expecting me to do something big. A masterpiece of revenge that will leave you lying on the ground forever and always."

Draco scrunched up his face when he heard that, although he knew that she was right, "and to be honest with you... I would love to fulfil their expectations. Make you scream, make you weep and rip you to pieces..."

The blond boy in front of her look up in shock, fearing what would come next.

"...But I can't," she whispered, nearly not audible at the distance between them. But Draco heard.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"Every time I see you, you seem so... distant.. so... unreachable. I have no idea what happened during the winter holidays, but I know one thing for certain, I can't take revenge on you because you and the Draco I loved are not the same people," she told him coldly and stared into his eyes.

Draco returned her face with a grimace and asked what she meant.

"You know what I mean, Malfoy. Don't try to hide it from me. I know you better then most people out there. I know your secret. You're lucky that I'm not like my cousin and his friends, rushing into every adventure as if their lives weren't on the line."

He looked at her with wide eyes and swallowed.

"Frankly, I don't care. But you are dead to me!" she spat... "Now back to my problem. I can't take my revenge on you. Sucks for me, but it also sucks for you. As long as I didn't come square, your reputation will never go back to normal and I will be seen as weak - which I am not!" When she saw that this wasn't enough she added, "Furthermore, I would hate to accidentally say something about that new trademark of yours..."

Now the blond boy put on his poker face and leaned against one of the tables. "What do you want me to do?"

Ash smirked. "Now we're talking business."

Faking a glare at her and swallowing hard, he looked at his former team members and bit down any further comments. "No sir," he spat, before hitting the table so hard that he still felt the hard wood hours later and then storming out of the Great Hall.


	44. Chapter 43 - Seeking a Seeker

It had been a stupid idea.

Changing seekers in the middle of the season! How in the name of Merlin did she ever come up with this idea? - Questions like these shot through her mind as she was standing in the icy pouring rain, her team mates and the try-outers for the new seeker position standing in front of her.

Slowly she let her eyes wander into the sky and sweep over the spectator benches. Through the rain she couldn't see everything, but she was sure that she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting there, also there was the Hufflepuff Captain and a couple of Slytherins that were cheering for their friends.

She was a bit disappointed that she couldn't see her former Captain anywhere, but it didn't matter.

Growling she wiped the rain from her eyes pulled herself together, she let her gaze wonder over the newcomers.

"Lean, light and cunning. Those are the main characteristics of a Seeker. They have to be fast. They have to be agile. They have to be determined," Ash shouted over the sound of the rain, forcing everyone's focus on her.

"Being the Seeker of a Quidditch Team is one of the hardest jobs there is. 150 points are in it for the team. You are the ones that will determine when the game will end and if we will be able to win or not. Is that clear to you all?" she asked looking at all the people one by one.

When they all nodded she continued, "the other teams will try to make your life a living hell as soon as you are on the pitch. They will foul you, throw you off guard, cut you, hit you, try to make you quit the game. They will do anything to make us, you, lose."

"We are searching for the best, so I expect of you to show us all you've got while your out there. And trust me, it will not be easy," a cheer raced through the existing team, while the people that were on the trail seemed a bit shaken by her words.

"We will start off with a small... speed test. The rules are simple. You will be trying to catch Isabel. If you can't keep up with her you are no use to us. If you can catch her, you get extra credits."

"Now, we will do this one by one. Mafalda!" she said and a small girl stepped forward. "All right on your brooms," Ash said. "Go!" she screamed and the two girls flew away.

It was hopeless. Isabel was already ten miles in front of the petite girl in a matter on minutes.

"Come back!" Ash shouted disappointed, magnifying her voice with her wand.

Once the two racers reached the group again, Ash send out the next.

This routine continued for nearly 20 rounds, until they had cut the newcomers to the proud number of 5.

"Alright. Now we want to continue with Harper, Kennedy, Richards, Pritchard and Piper. The rest of you are no good and can leave now," she said a bit annoyed. She had hoped that she'd have a bigger selection in the second round.

Quieting all the objections with a small glare and a swing of her beaters bat, she waited for all the sore losers to finally back away and leave the pitch before continuing the try-outs.

"The second test will be that of agility." Ash looked at her team mates, her eyes stopping at Graham. With a nod she told him to get on his broom and rise into the air. "Again, your test will be simple. Follow Montague. Do what ever he does," she told them and watched them rise into the air.

All together in a line they flew after Graham, who dove to the ground - only pulling up a few meters above the ground. He flew loops and through the hoops on the goals. He flew fast and then rapidly slowed down - making a few of them collide with him and the others. When they collided with him a second time, Ash saw the furry in Graham's face and she wasn't very happy either. Quickly she hit the box with the balls open and released one of the Bludgers, which she expertly smashed towards the flying huddle.

"You have to be able to stop and speed at any time," she cursed loudly and jumped on her broom. Rushing towards the Bludger and sending it flying towards the Seekers again. "NEVER get hit by Bludgers. IGNORE the shouts from the crowd and FIND that snitch I released a second ago. Who finds it first will have the spot," she screamed and hit the Bludger at the next Seeker.

Again and again she hit the Bludger, hitting the Seeker candidates over and over as they frantically searched for the golden shimmer in the rain.

At one point Chase and the other Chasers followed her example and took one of the beating bats to quicken the Bludgers race, while every now and the cutting the speeding candidates when they tried to reach something.

At first the try-out seemed to be futile, but after about ten minutes, one of the candidates started to get a flow of the game, changing heights when one of the others tried to cut him, expertly dodging all Bludgers and fists.

Soon enough the kid was holding the snitch in his hands triumphantly, a smirk featuring his face.

When Ash saw him, a small smile crept on her face and she nodded approvingly.

Slytherin had found a new seeker. The sixth year, Henry Harper.

"Congratulations Harper," Ash said clapping their new Seeker on the back as they stood in the changing room. "I'm happy to have you on the team," then she added, "this will be your locker from now on. Any questions?"

"No."

"Good, then I'll be expecting you tomorrow on the field at 7."

"At 7?"

"Yeah."

"But tomorrow is Saturday!"

"Your point being?" Ash asked annoyed, daring him to repeat what he just thought. When he didn't say anything, she continued. "That's what I thought. Listen, in only a weeks time we are having a match against Hufflepuff. A match that we would like to win. You will have to go through intensive training. Now, take your time in here and settle down. I'll see you tomorrow at the field."

"At 7."

"At 7."

Harper nodded his head sharply and soon ran out of the changing room to get back to the castle where dinner was about to be served.

"So, he's my exchange?" a voice suddenly sounded from behind Ash - the only one left in the changing room.

"Yeah, you've got a problem with that?"

"No. He seemed... good enough." Draco said nearing Ash, who tried her best not to turn around and look at him. "But he isn't as good as me," he added when he stood right behind her, bodies touching lightly - his breath stroking her cheek.

"When I'm done with him, he will be," Ash promised, shivering at their closeness.

"I hope you're right, I would hate it if I had to leave the team for a failure," he said quietly and snaked his arms around her body.

"Draco," she said warningly.

"What?" he toyed gently biting her ear.

"Draco. Stop it," she whispered quietly, her knees nearly giving in.

"Why? You're liking it."

Getting back her strength, Ash quickly stepped out of his touch and glared at him. "Don't ever do that again!" she stated furiously shaking her head. "I already told you, we're over and done."

"Yes, yes I know," Draco said, but she saw a small smile play on his lips.

Sighing Ash placed her Quidditch outfit into her locker and walked towards the exit. "You know the deal. I won't say anything as long as you don't come near me again."


	45. Chapter 44 - Slytherin vs Hufflepuff

One week had passed.

One week of intensive training.

One week of getting ready for the big game.

Ash was staring at her ceiling before she glanced at her bedside table and looked at her clock with a sigh. 8.00 o'clock in the morning. Time to get up.

Shoving herself off the bed, Ash grabbed her green Qudditch-outfit that she had hung on one of her bed posts and headed towards the shower.

Locking the door behind her she stripped naked, throwing her sleeping gear into one end of the corner, before letting the wonderful cooling sensation of the water on her bare skin take over her mind and emptying it of the very last sleep clinging onto her.

Letting a smile creep onto her face she thought about what happened in the last week and what would happen today.

They had gone through the most intense training she, herself, had ever been through. Everyday they had been on the field for at least two hours - reserving the pitch as often as they could and if they couldn't train on the field they had spend the rest of their spare time in the weight room to strengthen themselves and think of a few more tactics.

If this week really was enough, the Hufflepuffs would be defeated by a landslide.

After she had finished her shower she got out again and started drying off - magically drying her hair. Next she pulled on her Quidditch robes and pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail.

She allowed herself one last look at the mirror, before nodding and heading out the door. The green robes fit her perfectly and showed off her hour glass figure and highlighted the bright emerald colour of her eyes. Her strawberry blond ponytail fell over her left shoulder and contrasted the darker green of her robes and framed her near to perfect porcelain skin, only a few stray freckles across her nose and cheeks showed some imperfection. But her eyes had stayed the longest on her silver gleaming Captains badge that she wore the first time on a game. The badge that had belonged to Draco.

Walking out of the bathroom, she saw her room mates slowly wake up and getting ready for the day ahead themselves.

"I'll be seeing you at breakfast" Ash told Tracy with a small smile and walked out off the room, down the hall and through the door, entering the common room.

"Captain!" someone called from one end of the room, making Ash look up.

"Good Morning, Harper," she said seeing her new seeker. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I can't wait," he said with a smile and walked next to her through the common room.

"Sis!" another voice called out to her, making her stop and turn around, waiting for Chase to reach them.

"You're up early," she commented with a grin.

"I couldn't sleep at all! Way too excited!"

Ash laughed happily, shaking her head. "Its only Hufflepuff!" she said and rolled her eyes.

Chase nodded. "You're right... but its the first time to try our new constellation."

"That's true..." Ash whispered and let her eyes wander towards Harper, who had run ahead a few steps.

+++++++++++

"Welcome back to the first Quidditch game of the new year! Slytherin versus Hufflepuff!" Amanda shouted into her microphone while the players walked onto the pitch.

Before they stood in the centre of the pitch, Ash turned around one last time to look at her team mates. "Don't forget. We want to win this game, try to get as many points as possible."

The chasers looked at each other with a grin and nodded at her proudly.

"Good," she said confidently and walked up to Madam Hooch.

"Captains shake your hands." Ash held up her hand for Hufflepuffs captain to take, which he took rounghly. "I want a fair game!" Hooch added and looked at Ash intensely, making her scowl.

Quickly they all got on their brooms and as the Quaffle was thrown into the sky, the players shot after it.

"And the game begins!" Amanda shouted over the roar of the crowd. "Breaker caught the ball - throws it to Montague- he throws it to Donot - Donot shoots towards the goals, but Applebee interfers-No Donot passed to Breaker again who had found her way next to the Hufflepuffs Keeper Fleet. -Breaker catches and SCORES! 10-0 for Slytherin in the first minute!"

"Applebee caught the ball behind the posts and is now racing towards the goal. But a Bludger by Weasley hits the Quaffle out of his arms! Orion catches the falling Quaffle and passes it to Montague! Again a Slytherin beater catches the Quaffle! One should finally check out if thats legal!" Amanda commented and looked behind her at Professor Flitwick that was seated behind her. He just shrugged.

"Montague shoots towards the Hufflepuff goals once again and this time Catwallander is challanging him, trying to grab the Quaffle out of the Slytherins grasp. - Montague throws the Quaffle towards Breaker - Breaker to Montague again - Montague to Donot - Donot to Montague - Montague towards the goal! 20-0 for Slytherin! The Slytherin Chasers seem to be on the roll once again!

"Catwallander has the Quaffle again passes it to Apple- No Donot intercepted and is once again racing towards the Hufflepuffs goals. - What's that? Hufflepuffs Beater Rickett tries to stop Donot with a Bludger, but the Bludger is thrown off course by being hit by another Bludger shot by Slytherins new team Captian Ash Weasley.

"Donot flies towards the goals - Fleet tries to stop her with a foward attack - Donot lets the Quaffle fall! But Breaker is already there to catch it and throw it into the open goals. Montague is behind the goals, waiting. He hits the quaffle with his broom, shooting it back to Breaker who throws again, while Fleet tries to race back to the goal and stop this play. And again Monatgue and Breaker - But Fleet manages to catch the Quaffle. 40-0 for Slytherin in the first 10 minutes of the game!

"Now Zacharias Smith is trying to score a goal in the Slytherin section - But Orion wont let him. Already a Bludger is on the way! Score for Orion. The bludger caught Smith square in the chest and he is falling off the broom!" Amanda called "But whats that? Weasley is shooting down through the air and caught Smith! The Slytherin saved the Hufflepuff!"

"Quickly she flies toward the ground and is giving the hurting Smith to one of the Professors - seems the hit was stronger than anticipated. Smith is out of the game!"

"Weasley is back in the game and sees that Harper is racing somewhere! It seems as if Harper - the new Seeker in Slytherin - saw the Golden Snitch! Summerby sees his race and chases after him - Summerby is catching up! But Harper looks confused! He lost sight of the Golden Snitch! And Summerby passes him - But doesn't know where to look either! The game is still on!

"Applebee has the Quaffle again! and is racing towards Bole! But Bole catches the Quaffle and throws it at Montague. Montague has the Quaffle - kicks it hard to Breaker, who weaves in and out of the opponents - she throws back to Montague - he stops while the Hufflepuff team rushes past him - the Hufflepuff chasers turn while Montague throws the Quaffle to Donot who leaps into the air and scores! Breaker catches it and drop kicks it back towards Montague - Montague jumps from his broom - HEADBUTTS it into the hoop! Again they perfected and showed us this years perfect team play on the pitch! Another 20 points for Slytherin! The score is now 60-0 for Slytherin." Amelia shouts into the loudspeaker in front of her. "By the way, I researched a bit and this tactic is used by the German National team! Seems like our Slytherins are aiming big this year!"

"Catwallander has the Quaffle and is passing it to Applebee, who passes back to Catwallander - Applebee - Catwallander - Applebee - Catwallander - Appl- Donot interferes and the game goes back to the Hufflepuffs side of the field.

"By the looks of it, this game will be a very one sided game. Weasley got her Chasers in top form!"

"And the Slytherins score again! The score is now 140-0 for the Slytherins. Not once were Applebee and Catwallander able to make it through the perfect defences by the Beaters and Bole, while the Slytherin Chasers score one goal after the other. Fleet has no chance of stopping the hail of Quaffles rushing his way!"

"Oh, the Seekers are moving again! Harper and Summerby seem to have found the Snitch at the same time. They are rushing towards the ground by the Slytherin goals at the same time!

"The players see this - but the Slytherins don't stop their attack. Donot charges at the goals and scores! 150-0 For Slytherin - all the while Harper and Summerby are racing side by side towards the snitch! Harper is a bit faster he reaches out his hand and tries to snatch the snitch" Amanda held her breath for a second as she saw Harper reaching out and closing his hands around the golden Snitch, but Summerby's hand reached out for Harpers broom, pulling him back a bit, making Harpers broom loose momentum. At that jerking moment, Harper let go of the snitch and Summerby use this time to reach out for the snitch and close his hand around the Golden Snitch.

"Summerby catches the snitch! The game ends with the score of 150-150... The match Slytherin against Hufflepuff ends in a tie!"

The Hufflepuffs cheered as the rest of the crowd stayed silent in shock. Sure they didn't want the Slytherins to win but... they were clearly the better team in this match... still now they only ended it with a tie?

"Summerby fouled him!" Weasley called out and raced up to Hooch to make her blow her whistle.

"I didn't see that," Hooch told her

"But it was clear! why else would that broom suddenly jerk like that!? Summerby pulled on the broom!"

"Now, now dear! I said that I did not see it. I can't give a foul that I didn't see."

"But!"

"No buts. I'm the judge here. One wrong move and it could be worse then tying."

Ash stared at the teacher in shock, before cursing and flying away from her before she would do something stupid. On the way she stopped Bole and Orion on their way to her as well.

"Stop it. There's nothing we can do. She didn't see it." Ash growled. "Lets check on Harper if he's alright."

"But-" Orion started.

"No buts! If we do something she'll find a way to make us lose this game instead of tie it!" she yelled and flew towards the ground.

No one was sure if it had really been a foul or not, but Hooch didn't blow the whistle.

When they reached the ground, Ash jumped of her broom furiously and rushed over to Harper.

"You alright there?"

"Yeah... But that git just pulled my broom!"

"I know. I saw it." Ash said with her lips in a tight line. She was looking over at the cheering Hufflepuffs, who where energetically throwing their Seeker up in the air.

Letting go of Harpers shoulder, Ash stomped to the other team. Getting a tight grip on Applebee - the Hufflepuffs captain - she swiftly forced him to turn around to look at her. She would have loved to slam his grinning face into the nearest wall, but she caught herself and willed to stay calm.

"Congratulations," she said through her teeth with a small forced smile and held out her hand for the Hufflepuff to shake.

Surprised Applebee took her hand with a smile of his own. "Wow, I didn't think that a Slytherin would ever congratulate someone after losing."

Ash's eye twitched slightly. "We didn't lose, we tied."

Applebee looked at Ash mockingly before leaning towards her and saying: "In Quidditch there is no real tie. The one with the Snitch is always the winner. Hence, you're the loser here."

Seeing red Ash attacked. Without a second thought she let her fist rush into the guts of the Huffflepuff. When he sank to the ground in surprise, she flung herself on top of the boy and began pounding her fists one after the other into his face. She let all of her pent up frustration hail down on the boy underneath her. The anger of not winning this game. The anger about his words. The anger that she felt towards Draco. The anger that she felt ever since the death of her parents. It all came out of her at once, and she didn't stop it as she used all of her strength to mash up her opponents face.

Only seconds later she could feel herself being ripped of the Chasers body and she managed only one more kick into his crotch before she was dragged to far away.

Seeing his pained expression, she let herself slump in exhaustion and be dragged away without a fight.

"Weasley! In my office! Now!" Snape bellowed as her team mates finally let go of her again and she was standing 10 yards away form the Hufflepuff team.

Looking up at her red faced professor, she mentally slapped herself for flipping and glanced back at her concerned team mates. "Don't do anything stupid," she joked with a loop sided grin as she started to follow the professor back to the castle.

"What was that, Weasley?" the professor asked loudly when they entered his room and the door had closed behind them.

"Applebee challenged it."

"Do I look like I care?" he bellowed and paced the room. "You're a Slytherin! It's finally time you start behaving like one!"

"And how do they behave? Back-stab and bow to some freak in a cloak?"

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me."

The professor fell silent and looked at his student. "What do you mean?" he asked, finally sitting down on his seat and gesturing for her to copy him.

"I don't mean anything... It just slipped..."

"But what did you mean?"

Ash shifted uncomfortably on her seat. "It's... It's common knowledge that most of the Death Eaters are Slytherins..." she mumbled silently. "Not that I mean, all of the Slytherins are Death Eaters! I mean I ain't one and I know loads that don't agree with the Death Eater believes either... but... yeah... it just slipped... with the building tension and everything," she tried to amend her words helplessly when she saw the professor frown at her.

Seeing that he was still frowning, she let out a defeated sigh and asked quietly "Could we go back to Quidditch?"

The professor stayed quiet for another minute, just staring at her, before nodding. "What exactly did the Hufflepuff say to provoke you?"

"That we lost. That our team is the 'Loser'... That git knew exactly that his stupid Seeker only got the snitch by fouling Harper! I saw it in his face. And then he has the nerve to call my team a Loser, when I was trying to be nice and civil by congratulating them!" Ash said furiously, jumping from her seat when she remembered his words.

"Sit down, Weasley," Snape reminded her and continued when she followed his order. "I know you're angry, but you have to calm down again," shaking his head slightly, he stood up and got something out off his cabinet. Carefully he handed it to her.

"Its a calming draught," Snape told her, while sitting down again. "Normally you're a very focused, clear minded and rational girl. In your normal mental state you would have just smirked and make him pay later, with one of your little pranks - yes we know all to well about all your little plans and pranks, their quite entertaining at times - but today..." Snape shook his head. "Today you were rash, stupid, you didn't think. The only reason to explain this is that something is bothering you. Some kind of frustration is building up in you and is hindering you from thinking calmly. Use the potion and try to work it out rationally."

Looking down on the floor, Ash nodded her head.

"As for your punishment... I'll try to make Hooch not take away all of you points that you made this year. But you'll have to serve detention for at least a week. I want to see you straight after your classes in my office, understood?"

Ash nodded her head again and stood up to walk out of the door.

"Good day, Professor"


	46. Chapter 45 - Ron

A few corridors away from the professors office, Ash looked down at the draught that Snape had given her. _A calming draught, huh,_ she thought to herself, before letting her body lean against one of the cold stone walls in exhaustion. Letting her body slip down the wall until she sat on the floor she starred at the air in front of her.

"I can't believe this is happening to me," she said to herself aloud. "How can I let that ... freak... change me so much? how can I let him and his actions affect me like this?" she asked herself.

"Merlins beard... I'm even started to talking to myself!" she chuckled dryly.

"... how pathetic..." she added with venom in her voice.

Still sitting on the floor, she thought back at the start of this whole mess... The day her family had found her in the English Garden.

_It had been night, the only time she trusted to get out of her little cave and breath some fresh air. The sky was clear, no cloud in sight that could have hindered the bright white moon to shine onto the earth and grace it with its beautiful light. The stars around the moon decorated the sky in a glamorous carpet of diamonds._

She had just crept out of her hole and stalked away form the group of still sleeping muggle kids that had found themselves in the same hopeless and homeless situation as she had. Everyone had their reasons for being here, but no one talked about it. It was the unwritten rule in their little community.

Normally she stayed very close to them, but tonight she needed a bit of time to herself, needed some time to think things through and plan her next steps. It had been three months since that fateful day and somehow she had managed to hide until today. But she knew that she couldn't stay hidden in the English Garden forever. One day someone would find her and she just hoped it wouldn't be the murderers of her parents.

Slowly she had made her way across the city park, until she reached the white Monopteros of the English Garden, that caught and reflected the moonlight so perfectly. Shining white, she slowly walked up the small hill and sat herself down on one of its gleaming steps. From here she could over look the majority of the park as well as see the silhouette of the Bavarian capital.

Here and there she saw a few fires warm groups of people near the river and she heard their silent giggles and loud talking as if she were standing next to them. During the summer time there were always a lot of people having midnight picnics and having fun in the English Garden once that sun set began and most of the time they only headed back to their warm homes and comfortable beds when the sun was about to lighten up the world again.

Not thinking, not knowing of the horrors that where spiking this world. Not knowing of the horrors that would await them once You-Know-Who reigned the earth. Not knowing, not thinking, not caring...

Freezing at the mere thought of You-Know-Who, Ash had slung her arms around her body and stared into the night. Thinking. Dreaming. Wishing.

Thoughts screamed at her so loudly, that she never heard the oh-so-familiar voice of one of the boys she had spend the last few months with, struggling to talk to a few people in his newly acquired English, nor did she hear the heavy foot fall of the two elder people he was escorting up the hill towards the the skinny girl who was gazing at the sky with dreamy eyes. Only when two strong arms slung themselves around her body and help her tightly as the owner started to cry into her shoulder, was she ripped out of her minds sanctuary and back into reality. The reality of horror and pain, the reality of loss and fear, the reality of life.

While remembering the moment that her uncle had found her and hugged her closely, she snuggled herself into her own arms, hugging her knees tightly to her body, trying to feel the warmth of that moment, not the cold. When she figured that her arms weren't enough to give her warmth, she took a hold of her Quidditch cape to throw across her body, before allowing her mind to wander into the past once again.

_Two weeks had passed since her Uncle and Aunt had found her in Munich and had brought her to the Burrow. Two weeks had passed since she had uttered a word._

She didn't want to be found, she told herself and hoped that her glares at the cheerful red headed family conveyed that message fittingly, but she knew that it was a lie. If she didn't want to be found, she'd have apparated into a different country. No body would have looked for her in Africa of Asia. Hell, even another German city would have cut the deal. But no. She had stayed in Germany, she had stayed in Munich, a city only 30 minutes away from her old home and a city where her British relatives knew she would be if she wanted to be found.

Her cousins had all tried their best to make her laugh again, or maybe say a word, but so far they had all failed. Until Ron had enough.

"Ash, cut the crap," he had yelled at her and slapped her face hard when she didn't even look at him. "You know what? I'm sick and tired of your silence and gloomy attitude!" he screamed.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" his mother had yelled at him, but he had just ignored her.

"I know you feel crappy, I know you hate life right now, but GET OVER IT!_" he screamed at her and took a hold of her shoulders shaking her small frame thoroughly._

That brought Ash to forget her vow of silence for the first time. "Get over it, you say? Get over it? You know nothing of the way I feel right now! You know nothing of the pain, nothing of the horror, nothing of the loss that has taken over my heart!" she said silently, but fiercely making everyone strain to hear her words.

Ron smiled at her words as he kneed down in front of her, so that he was on the same eye level as she was. "Then tell me about it, I want to know, I want to help you," he said quietly, looking into her eyes.

Ash could still picture her cousins blue eyes perfectly, as they had stared at her with such a great warmth and acceptance. She had lost herself in those eyes. Fell into a deep sea of warmth that she had missed so greatly while she had been away from her family and friends.

_Ron_ she thought to herself silently as the reality of the cold stone against her back and she was once again sitting in one of the many corridors of the Hogwarts castle.

Ron had been there for her the last time she had become a wreck like this. Ron had been the one to pull her back to life. Ron had been the one to make her accept reality once again. Ron had been the one to get a grip of her mind again.

"Ron," she repeated his name, only speaking out loud this time.

"Ron," she said again and again and again as she pushed herself of the ground and hurried down the corridor in the search for her cousin.

She was running through the castle, her eyes frantically moving around, left and right, up and down, in the search from her beloved cousin.

Every now and again she stopped to ask some of her peers if they had seen the red haired boy, but most of them hadn't seen him, or couldn't remember when they saw him last. Cursing, Ash continued her search for him. Looking in the Great Hall and the Library and whatever other location she could think off.

Lastly she found herself stuck outside of the Gryffindor common room, arguing with the Fat Lady.

"Let me in there! I need to see Ron!" she screamed at the painting for the hundredth time already, but the Lady stayed stubborn.

"You can only enter with the password, tell me the password and I'll let you enter!" she told the blond girl for the zillionth time.

"Can you at least ask one of the other paintings to check if my cousin is in there?" Ash begged, slowly getting sick and tired of the repeated argument.

"No can do, sorry dear."

Ash screamed in frustration and stomped up and down in front of the portrait in anger. Cursing the painting, cursing the houses, cursing Hogwarts, cursing herself and Ron, Ash continued her rant with the painting and her way back and forth in front of the painting.

All of a sudden, a small voice sounded behind her. "Excuse me... I need to go through" the voice of some first year sounded and made her jump.

"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry," she said and moved to the side, allowing the kid to pass her. She didn't hear the password the first year muttered, but when she saw the portray swinging to the side, she quickly grabbed a hold of its edge and said, "Kid... could you get Ron Weasley to come out here? Say that Ash wants to see him," she yelled out the last part because the Fat Lady was forcing the entrance close again, to stop her from entering.

"Now all there is to do is hope that kid does what I asked him to do and wait," she muttered and sat down on one of the stairs that lead to the common room.

Time went by and it seemed like hours passed before she saw the portrait swing to the side again and reveal a flustered Ronald.

"Ron!" Ash cheered happily and hugged the boy tightly.

"Ash!" he said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Ron... Help me, please," she whispered into his ear and hugged him even tighter to her body.

"Ash? What happened?" he asked, concern lacing each word.

"Can we go somewhere else?" the Slytherin asked, eyeing the portrait warily.

"Oh, sure..." he said and turned to face the Fat Lady. "Maple Syrup," he said and the Lady swung open. Next he pulled Ash through the hole into the Gryffindor common room. The small passage brought them to a large comfortable room with a fireplace and couches spread along the interior. "Sit down," he said gesturing to one of the large red couches where she saw Harry and Hermione sitting and looking up at her.

She also heard a couple of gasps at the fact that she - a Slytherin - was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, as she sat herself on the opposite end of the couch, waiting for Ron to start questioning her.

"What happened?"

"How do you know something happened?"

"First you beat up Applebee and now you've scared half of the Gryiffindor students by the fact that you were hammering on the Fat Lady and glared at her for the last hour or so."

"If you knew that, why did you only come now?"

"I didn't, the kid you send for me told me."

"Oh OK."

"So, tell me. What happened?"

Ash sighed and looked at her hands. "I'm a mess," she said softly after a few minutes of silence.

"Tell me something new," he joked, but motioned for Harry and Hermione to leave them alone for a second, before crouching in front of his cousin and talking a tight hold of her hands. "Is it because of Malfoy?"

Ash's jaw hardened as she nodded her head yes.

"What exactly did he do?"

Ash frowned a bit before shrugging her shoulders. "He cheated on me."

Now it was Ron's time to frown. "But that was a month ago! Why are you coming to me with that now?"

"I'm a mess," she repeated in a sad tone of voice.

"You said that already"

"I can't think strait. I'm not rational any more... I let my emotions get the best of me... I'm a simple and complete mess."

"No, your just a girl!" he said with a chuckle, making Ash glare at him.

"Not funny."

"Yes funny."

Ash looked away from her cousin.

"But really, why did you come to me?"

"I'm a mess."

"Had that already," he sighed. "But why do you think I can help?"

Ash stayed quiet for a few moments before repeating, "I'm a mess."

"OK, now this is getting stupid," he grunted and waited for the next words the girl had to say.

"I'm a mess."

With a frustrated sigh, Ron took hold of Ash's shoulders and asked her to tell her the whole story. About how she had seen him in the bedroom with Pansy. How she had a fight with him in front of the Zabini Manor. How she tried to get revenge on Draco but couldn't and everything else that she could think of that had to do with the fact that Draco cheated on her.

When she finished her story Ron shrugged. "Told ya to stay away from him," he said with a sigh and shrugged again. "But I still don't see the problem. Why can't you just let him be, ignore him, push him out of our life."

"Because..."

"Because?"

"Because I still..."

"Because you still?"

"Love him"

Rons grimaced for a second, "do you really?"

Ash looked at her cousin confused, "what do you mean?"

"Do you really love him? Did you ever truly love him?"

Ash was confused at his words. "I don't - ?" she said the voice filled with questions.

"Do you, Ashlin Weasley, really love him, Draco Malfoy?"

"I still don't..." she said starring at Ron.

"You don't love him, Ash. You just don't want to let go of the past. You were always like that. Keeping grudges for the longest of times, never forgiving, never getting over things that went against your believes. Its about time you let go of the past and live for the future!" Ron told her, while his tight grip on her arms bruised her skin. "Its time to let go, to forget about that git" he said softly, his warm blue eyes once again gazing deep into her heart.

"Let... go..." she muttered as she let his words run through her mind and as she tasted every aspect of the thought carefully. "Let go and forget..." a smile crept onto her face just by the thought of the simple idea.


	47. Chapter 46 - Captain

A giggle flooded the Slytherin common room as the strawberry blond girl skipped into the common room and loudly sang to herself:

_I'm too sexy for my shirt  
too sexy for my shirt  
so sexy it hurts_

And I'm too sexy for Milan  
too sexy for Milan  
New York and Japan

And I'm too sexy for your party  
too sexy for your party  
the way I'm disco dancing

I'm a model you know what I mean  
and I do my little turn on the catwalk  
yea on the catwalk on the catwalk yea  
I do my little turn on the catwalk

I'm too sexy for my ca-

- she stopped short when she saw that long faces of her peers as they where glaring at the air in front of them.

"Hey! What's with the sad faces?" she asked a bit confused as she reached her friends that were occupying the usual couches.

The black haired girl looked at her confused. "We just lost against Hufflepuff," she said as if that explained everything.

"No, we tied with Hufflepuff!" she corrected, her good mood temporarily leaving her again when she remembered today's game. "Which if you think about it is quiet funny because its practically impossible to tie"

"Same difference. They caught the snitch. And no, it's not funny in any way or form." Tracy sighed frustration in her voice.

Ash shook her head and looked around the common room, noticing a couple of eyes on her and Tracy.

With a silent growl Ash turned to look at the whole Slytherin community. "Listen! Its no use to sit around and pull long faces! It won't change the results. We tied with Hufflepuff, face it and get over it. Sure, it would have been better if we could have crushed them to pieces, but tough luck, we didn't. We'll just have to try again next time. And trust me, next time we will win!"

Ash saw a few eyes light up, but a lot of people were unmoved or even had objections in their eyes.

"Why should we listen to you? Its all your fault we lost any way!" a familiar voice erupted from the masses, followed by a few grunts of approval and confused head shaking. "We were winning before you kicked out Draco and became Captain!" Pansy called and the people around her made space for her to walk up to Ash. "Draco was the perfect seeker! He never let go of a snitch, no matter how badly the others fouled him."

Ash curled her hands into fists, but tried to play it cool. She knew this would happen at one point. If she didn't win a game, she'd be persecuted. "I agree. Draco was a very good seeker. But when a team loses trust in their Captain, he can't be kept. And due to some unpleasant circumstances - that you of all people should know best - the teams trust was broken," she said starring intently at Pansy, before turning to the other people, "Harpers new, he only had one week of training so far. Until we'll be playing Gryffindor in 6 weeks time, he wont ever let a snitch go again, I promise you that!"

"And what makes you think we'll trust your promise after this failure? What makes you think that we will allow you to continue being Captain of the Slytherin Team?" Pansy sneered, but wasn't backed up as much as before.

The captain looked at Pansy for a second. "As you all know," she said to the crowd, "I have a little bet running. If we lose against Gryffindor I have to run through the school naked!... Believe me, I really don't plan on doing that! But that isn't the only reason why I want to win. I want to win because Slytherin has become my home, my friends, my family. Even though I've only come this year, all of you have greeted me with open arms and made me feel welcome. I want to win this cup in order to pay back my respect and thank you all!" she said loudly.

"But most of all I want to win that game and the cup because, by Merlins Beard! We're better then those stinking Gryffindors!" she screamed and finally received cheers from her fellow Slytherins.

"Now lets forget about the past and have a little fun, alright?!" she grinned and waved her wand. Loud music filling the room.

"Ash!" Christina called to her, pushing her way through the crowd, as the others sang along to the music.

"Chris!" Ash smiled seeing her Chaser near her. "What are you up too?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you on the speech. Very nice."

"Thank you. I just hope that this feeling will last."

"I'm sure it will, it definitely fired up the team!" she told her. "We're sitting over there and wanted to ask you to join us!"

Ash grinned at her and looked at where Christina pointed. The entire team was sitting together at the fireplace and were frantically talking to each other. "Of course!" she said and followed her team mate to the others. There she was greeted with a small cheer by five other people.

"Ash! Awesome speech!" Graham said, clapping his hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you for backing me up!" Harper told her with a small smile.

"Loved your enthusiasm!" Isabel grinned and hugged her captain.

"Thank you, thank you," Ash said and jokingly bowed a bit. "I know today's game didn't end with the best result, but hey, did you guys notice how awesome you were? - And I also mean you Harper! Really you guys were great! Bole didn't let one Quaffle in his hoops! Graham, Christina and Isabel scored 150 points! That's 15 goals! Chase and I, well we're always awesome!" she joked and high-five'd her 'little brother', "and lastly Harper. Sure... you didn't catch the snitch in the end, but after only a week of training you were quite good. I did the right decision in choosing you as our new Seeker!" she said grinning and hugged him tightly.

"KYA!" she squealed and grinned. "I can't wait to kick Gryffindor's asses!"

The party was fantastic. Everywhere people were enjoying themselves and had fun dancing, singing and drinking.

They had already had a few bottles of mead and fire whiskey, which they had planned on drinking at the victory party, but they were just as useful in the ... "Yey-we-tied" party.

Celebrating instead of grieving the Slytherins soon forgot time and allowed themselves to be lost on the atmosphere.

At one point Ash saw Draco slip into the common room unnoticed and watched as his eyes turned wide at the party that was being held at such an hour. She saw how his expression was sprinkled with confusion and how he frantically searched the crowd. When their eyes met he looked at her confused before nodding into one of the rooms corner, telling her to join him.

Scowling Ash rolled her eyes and went over to her ex-boyfriend and met him mid way. "What do you want?"

"What's this party about?"

"It's a 'Yey-we-tied' party."

"A what?"

"A 'yey-w-'"

"Yeah, yeah, I got that part but why?"

"I held a very dramatic and dynamic speech."

Draco looked at her confused, but accepted her explanation without further ado. "Well, I guess I'll just have to join in then," he shrugged. "Will you dance with me?" he asked, with a sly smirk, hoping to see her usual reaction of hopelessness and pain, but he waited in vain. She just raised her eyebrows and sighed.

"I'd rather not," she told him without any facial expressions and walked away.

Shocked at her rejection, Draco watched her walk away towards Blaise. There he saw her take his hand and lead him to the dance floor where Tracy and Chase were already dancing together.

Not one Slytherin had come to dinner that Saturday nor to breakfast on Sunday, but when they trickled into the Great Hall at lunch, the school knew why. All of them were yawning and laughing, grinning and joking or holding their heads in pain due to last night party that had excelled into a whole night event that only stopped at around 9 o'clock in the morning.

Only having slept a couple of hours, Ash's reflection in the mirror reminded herself of the grim reaper. With gigantic dark circles under her eyes and pale skin, Ash walked into the Great Hall stifling a yawn. Flanking her Tracy and Blaise walked in with her and together they sat down with the others.

"Hey loves," Ash told her friends, standing up again. "I'll be right back"

Tracy looked up at her, and then at the Hufflepuff table where Applebee was sitting with his friends - a few bruises still noticeable from this distance. "Sure, see you in a minute," she encouraged Ash and turned her attention back to her plate.

Ash noticed a few eyes follow her as she crossed the Great Hall to reach Applebee. When she stood right behind him, she waited silently for a few seconds before his friends told him to look behind him.

"What do you want?" he spat seeing her.

"Um, I wanted to apologize about yesterday. I overreacted," she said looking into his eyes and stretching out her hand for him to take. She noticed him looked at his friends uncertainly, but they shook their head in disbelieve.

Rolling her eyes, Ash continued speaking. "Look. I don't mean for you to forgive me or anything. I just wanted to apologize. So if you could please just shake my hand, I'll go right back to my table and we wont have to ever talk again, alright?"

"Do you know how much that hurt? You broke my nose. SkelloGrow hurts like a bitch," he growled.

"I said I'm sorry. Now shake my hand and get this over with."

"I don't think so."

Getting angry again, she pressed her lips to each other forcefully. "Alright. Then don't I just tried to be nice," she spat, but didn't go away, but instead leaned forward to whisper something into his ear. Suddenly his eyes widened a bit and he quickly shook her hand, making Ash smile down at him and walking back to the Slytherin table, spearing only a small glance at the teachers table where she saw Madam Hooch nod approvingly.


	48. Chapter 47 - Secrets

"Damn you Weasley!" a group of Slytherins cursed as they came gushing out of the Slytherin common room, followed by a cloud of stinking black gas.

Just a minute ago a petite girl with strawberry blond hair had calmly walked out of the wall, straightening her green and silver striped tie. Her black ropes were freshly washed and pressed, settling on her body without a wrinkle. Her white blouse redesigned to fit her body perfectly and showing of her curves, while the uniforms grey skirt - probably shorter then regulation aloud - flowed along her hips with every step she took. Her hair was loosely wrapped around her shoulders and framed her pale, freckled face. Furthermore, it contrasted her bright emerald eyes, that held their typical mischievous glint. A smirk graced her features as she glanced to either side of her, looking at her two best friends.

Her friend on the left wore the same graciously complimenting uniform and held the same mischievous grin. Tucking her long straight black hair behind her ears and trying to hold back laughter.

Her friend on her right towered over the two petite girls and easily held an emotionless face, as he ran his hand over his near to bold hair and waited for the next events to unfold. His chocolate brown eyes glanced at the two girls next to him. He couldn't quiet believe what he had gotten himself into when he became friends with these two good-for-nothing-pranksters, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Suddenly, a loud cracking noise emerged from the wall behind them and the wall opened wide as a mass of outraged, cursing Slytherins emerged. Chuckling silently, the three of them smirked and continued their way towards the Great Hall, where their breakfast awaited.

Two weeks had passed since their game against Hufflepuff and ever since her conversation with Ron it was clear that Ash Weasley was back. The hyperactive, happy-go-lucky prankster queen was once again in her top form and was enjoying her stay at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to her fullest.

"That was a full success, don't you agree?" she asked her comrades as they slowly walked up the stairs of the school into the direction of the dining hall.

"I definitely do believe so," the black haired girl grinned and chuckled as she remembered the faces of her peers. It was already the third prank the three of them had played on the Slytherins this week alone and today Ash was planning a little assault on her potions teacher - as a little thank you for the week of scrubbing trophies.

"So what are we going do after classes?" Blaise asked as they reached their house table and sat down in front of their plates.

"Hmm, I don't know yet..." Ash purred quietly as she let her eyes wonder over the student body that were assembled in the hall. "Any suggestions?" she asked focusing on the other two again.

Blaise looked above his head and watched the artificially created clouds wonder over the ceiling - showing the weather outside the hall. "It looks nice outside, how about we go down to the lake?" he suggested.

Following his gaze into the 'sky', Ash silently agreed with him.

"Sure, sounds fun" Tracy agreed, before getting of the bench. "Well, I'll be going now. Trelawney will have a prophecy of my death again if I'm late!" she told them and walked away, leaving Ash and Blaise alone.

"I still don't understand how anyone can choose to do that class..." Ash muttered, watching her friend leave.

"Well, its supposed to be a very... easy class if your imaginative."

"Haha, no wonder you quit." she joked.

"I am imaginative!"

"Sure you are."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing..." she hummed quietly, with a joking smile on her face. "Anyway, I'll get going as well. Don't plan on being transformed into a pocket watch by McGonagale... again..." she said and gave Blaise a peck on the cheek before walking out of the Hall, leaving him shocked.

When Ash walked out of the Hall, she smiled as her mind wandered to Blaise. She knew it was mean of her - the little gestures every now and again that she did and which left Blaise speechless and confused. She knew she was playing with the feelings of her best friend, but she couldn't help herself. His shocked state was just tocute funny...

Swiftly she walked down the corridors until she reached her classroom. The majority of the class had already arrived and sat down on their usual places. Walking in herself, she swiftly glanced around the classroom. Her eyes landing on Draco and the vacant seat next to him, and then swiftly strayed to Neville and the vacant seat next to him. Then - like she had done the last few weeks, she went over to Neville.

"Hey Neville."

"Hey Ash, how have you been?"

"Quite good, thank you." she smiled at her newly found friend. Ever since the incident, she had sat beside Neville and they started talking. His gentle yet brave nature impressed her and she easily became friends with him. But today, she wasn't really in the mood for talking, therefore she took out her Transformation book and started to read in it, without asking for his well being, signalling to Neville to not disturb her. Noticing this, he simply nodded to himself and turned around to talk to Ron and Harry.

However, Ash wasn't reading her book. She was watching someone. Someone she knew very well. When she had entered the room her eyes had lingered on his person for a few seconds before moving on, but these few seconds told her that he wasn't well. Eyes cast down on the table, head in his hands, hair dishevelled, shoulders slumped, skin paler then normal... No something was bothering him... something was making him sick.

She knew she shouldn't worry about him but even though she had let go of him and never wanted to have to do something with him again, he was still her fellow class mate, still a fellow Slytherin, still her ex-boyfriend. Her concern bothered her, but the simple fact that she had to be concerned bothered her even more.

Throughout the duration of Transformations she watched the platinum blond boy sulk lonesomely at his table and evaluated every aspect of his being. When class ended, she quickly gathered her stuff and silently followed his form out of the classroom and down the Hallway.

Theoretically she had Herbology with Tracy now, but something told her to skip the class and see what the boy with the icy eyes was up to. So she followed him. Slowly walking 100 paces behind him, never loosing site of him. He walked up the stairs, down hallways, turned corners and once even slipped through a 'window' that allowed students to cross onto another staircase - although technically the was forbidden.

Finally, the boy reached the seventh floor and walked into an direction that she knew all to well. He was going to the Room of Requirements.

There she watched him walk passed the wall three times, muttering something indecipherable at the distance between them before a door appeared and he vanished inside. As soon as the door closed behind him, the door to the room vanished once again and Ash was left alone in the silent corridor.

Quickly she ran over to the wall and starred at it intently, as if it would open for her again and let her enter.

"Which room did he ask you to open?" she asked the wall, but it stayed silent as she continued studying it.

Finally she gave up and let her forehead rest on the cold stone wall, "What are you getting yourself into, Draco?" she asked before turning around and walking away, hurrying to Herbology - maybe she'd still make it in time.

When Ash reached her classroom, she was surprisingly fussed about instead of scolded. Apparently Tracy had noticed that she wasn't there yet and therefore described the most gruesome pains that a girl could have without currently giving birth in order to excuse her. Now, only being late half an hour Professor Sprout didn't want to believe that she was already fine and was currently making her chew heaps of leaves that where supposed helpful in these situations.

When the professor finally thought she did enough to help her brilliant student, she let her join the class again.

"You are so dead," Ash harshly whispered at Tracy with a glare, who was trying to hold back laughter.

"Its your own fault for coming late. Where were you any ways?"

"I tried to figure out what Draco is up to. He doesn't look all to well."

"Yeah, I saw that as well... Did you find anything?"

"Not really... he locked himself in the Room of Requirements. But I have no idea which room he needed," Ash said quietly and pretended to take notes. She already knew most of the stuff Sprout was talking about.

"Did you get a glance inside it?"

"Inside it? Um... no not really, but maybe I can follow him gain and get a little peak," Ash decided.

"Or you can just ask him."

"Ask him? Do you really think that he would tell me something like that?"

"Sure. He loved you, did he not?"

Ash let out a short burst of an unbelieving chuckle, before shaking her head and turning her attention back at the plant in front of her - that was currently trying to eat her hair. Silently she fought her hair back and thought about Draco and the Room of Requirements.

After all her classes ended and she and her friends passed some time at the lake, Ash was sitting with them in the Slytherin common room and was waiting.

Just sitting on one of the couches that faced the entrance Ash pulled out an book and started reading it, as her friends finally went to bed and left her alone in the common room.

Curfew came and went and soon she was really the only person in the whole house to still be awake. Reading her book and carefully watching the door. Finally at around 2 o'clock in the morning the wall opened and revealed an tired Draco Malfoy.

Ash didn't say a word as she watched him enter the common room blindly, heading straight for the dorm rooms. Just before he reached the door Ash let her book slap together, startling Draco. Swiftly he turned around and she saw his eyes widen as he saw her sitting on the couch, waiting.

"What are you doing here?" he asked frantically.

"I'm concerned."

"Concerned?"

"About you."

Draco's eyes sprinted from one side of the room to the other, not knowing what to do.

"You look like death." Ash continued and simply pointed towards another couch across from her. Taking the hint, Draco's shoulders slumped a bit more and he obediently sat down on his designated spot. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you vanish towards the Room of Requirements every day. You only come back at 2 in the morning and every free period is also spent in that room. Furthermore, it seems as if you haven't slept in the last 2 months. Also your idea about making you leave the Quidditch team... It's not like you"

"And what does it concern you? Its not like your my girlfriend any more," Draco snapped at her.

Ash looked at him with a frown. "Yes, I ain't. But that doesn't mean that I can't be concerned about you, as a friend. I know you... very well and your not yourself any more."

"You have no idea what your talking about," Draco growled and stood up to leave.

When he had taken a couple of steps, Ash asked, "Does it have anything to do with the Vanishing Cabinet from Borgin and Burkes." When the words reached him, she saw Draco stiffen and turn around as if he had seen a ghost... or well... as if he had seen a fire demon. His face was even paler then it was normally and his eyes where the side of platters, the dark circles under then made him look haunted.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you in winter, when you looked at that black Cabinet. Its a Vanishing Cabinet, correct? I recognized it in one of our history books."

"And what should it have to do with what I'm doing?"

"Harry went into the Room of Hidden Things last year... he described a cabinet just like an Vanishing Cabinet that was standing in there. Now I'm guessing that you want to interli-" but she wasn't able to finish her sentence. Draco had starred at her in shock as she told him what she had puzzled herself together, but before she was able to finish he had pulled out his wand and let a spell hit her, making her fly against the wall behind her with full force.

Her back hit the wall behind her painfully and air escaped from her lungs at the impact, making it hard to breath. Next her head came in contact with the wall, making her dizzy and gave her a terrible headache.

Still hanging in the air, back pressed against the wall, Ash starred at Draco in shock. Quickly she tried to grab her own wand, but before she could reach for it, she was thrown across the room once again and the wand was ripped out of her hands. Hitting the Wall with her face first, she could feel her nose crunch at the impact and as she fell to the floor, with her back first she could feel vomit erupt from her stomach.

"Draco!" she gasped as some air returned to her body. But her body was thrown through the air again before she could say anything else. This time hitting the low ceiling with her left side, again she heard a crack and felt a sharp pain shoot through her body.

"Stop it!" she cried next before her body flew through the air one again Again, but this time she didn't come into contact with stone, instead she came to a stop right before Draco.

"You have no idea what your talking about!" he screamed at her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her body thoroughly.

"Please," she slurred, her eyes closed in pain, but quickly she forced them open to stare at Draco's intense blue eyes. "Tell me about it" she slurred putting all the force she could manage into the words and forbidding any tears to slip out of her eyes.

Shocked, Draco stepped backwards and let her skid along the floor, where she finally hit the chimney frame with her back and spat blood and vomit. Looking to the side, she saw her wand, not to far away from her and scrambled to reach it, but Draco didn't let her. Quickly he summoned it towards him and left Ash lay on the floor helplessly in pain.

Letting herself roll onto her back in defeat Ash starred at the ceiling, tears finally running loosely over her cheeks.

After a few minutes a guilty looking Draco appeared in her peripheral vision and grew sharper as he leaned over her and stroked away a bloody hair strand from her face. Slowly he took out an handkerchief and started wiping away a few tears and the blood on her face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly. "I just panicked because you know too much."

"What are you going to do now?" Ash asked shakily, pain ripping through her body with every word.

"Don't worry, I wont hurt you," he sighed and when he finished cleaning her face, he gave her a small peck in the lips before picking her up bridal style and carried her towards the common room exit and through the corridors of her school.

Just before Ash lost her concious, she could vaguely make out her potions professor hurriedly walk up to them.

_Images flashed in front of her in a constant rhythm._

Shadows swam around her blocking the lights now and then, blackouts followed her constantly.

Nothing made sense.

A sharp pain.

A soft throbbing.

A sickening darkness.

Icy landscapes looking at her in concern and guilt.

Darkness.

Bats swooshing around her.

Then in a ocean of darkness, there was only one face to be seen, sharper then she ever saw before. A thin face with sallow skin and a large, hooked nose, shoulder-length, greasy black hair framed the face in curtains. His cold, black eyes resembled dark tunnels sucking her into darkness. Thin lips, a normally sneering mouth, formed softly spoken words.

Darkness again...

"Ouch!" Ash cursed as her body hit the floor, ripping her out of her sleep. Sitting up slowly, rubbing her back, she looked to the black leather couch she had just fallen off from. "Urgh, stupid couch," she muttered as she stood up. Every muscle in her body hurt as she slowly stretched her body and then walked towards the dorm room.

"Argh, I guess the weights and then sleeping on the couch were a bit to much for my body..." she muttered as she walked down the corridor and opened the door, walking into her dorm room where Tracy, Pansy and Daphne were just getting ready for school.

"Ash!" Tracy said shocked when she saw her friend. "I thought you were already gone! Where were you?"

"It seems I fell asleep on the couch," Ash smiled at her friend, still trying to loosen her stiff and hurting muscles by stretching.

"Sounds uncomfortable."

"It is, my whole body is hurting as it I had been thrown around the common room the whole night long" she joked, "I never want to do that again!"

Quickly she walked into the bathroom, craving a hot shower. Slowly she stepped out of her clothes and looked towards her reflection in the body length mirror and frowned.

Swiftly she ran up to the mirror, turning to her side to look at her left hip. Yesterday she had gotten a bruise at Quidditch practice as a Bludger had escaped her notice... The bruise was gone.

Still frowning Ash shook her head and sighed. "Weird... well I guess it was more superficial then expected," she muttered before walking into the shower and letting the hot water rush over her body and comfort her muscles.

All to soon she had to get out of the shower and get ready for another day at school.

Rushing to the Great Hall together with Tracy at her side, they quickly reached Blaise who was already waiting for them at the table.

"And? How did it go?" he asked, coming right to the point.

"How did what go?" Ash asked, slightly confused.

"The thing you wanted to talk to Draco about," Blaise said rolling his eyes.

Ash looked at him confused, she remembered that she wanted to talk to Draco, but had no idea why... "Not so well, I seem to have fallen asleep before he came," Ash pouted. Blaise and Tracy frowned as well.

"Well that sucks, will you try today again?" Blaise asked carefully and starred at his former friend, who had just entered the Great Hall - looking even worse then ever before.

"I don't know, maybe I should just leave him alone. Its not like I really care any more," Ash answered, following his gaze and seeing Draco. He was starring at her with a scared face, as if he expected her to jump up and curse him or as if he feared some kind of reaction in her seeing him. Ash gave him a small smile, hoping it would lighten his mood a bit, but then turned back to look at her friends.

Blaise and Tracy frowned at their friend, but shrugged it off. "Its your decision," Tracy told her before stuffing a piece of bread into her mouth.


	49. Chapter 48 - Development

Ash was floating high in the sky and watched Harper, while he searched for the snitch.

There! He saw it!

Harper shot through the air, away from her and raced through the air towards a golden spot near the goals. Ash hurried to follow him and soon she was right behind him, reaching out with her hand and pulling Harpers broom away from under him when he was about to get a hold of the snitch. But instead of trying to hold himself on the broom, he jumped and got the snitch, falling freely.

Without moving a muscle, she watched as Chase rushed through the air and caught his companion.

They had been doing this kind of Seeker training twice a week now for the last weeks and Ash was sure that he could master any foul there is. Sure during the process her seeker was bruised, beaten and broken, but now, she was sure that he would be the best Seeker Slytherin had seen in a long time, it saddened her to think that he would only be a Slytherin Seeker for the next two and a quarter years...

Currently the Quidditch Scores looked like this:

Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw - 240:20

Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff - 210:20

Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw - 180:40

Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff - 150:150

Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff - 190:70

Slytherin vs. Gryffindor - Unknown

Meaning:

Gryffindor: 2 wins, no losses and 390 points

Syltherin: 1 win, 1 tie, no losses and 390 points

Ravenclaw: 1 win, 2 losses and 250 points

Hufflepuff: no wins, 1 tie, 2 losses and 240 points

Ash had already studied the text books and pestered Madam Hootch. If Slytherin won against Gryffindor, they would win the cup, even with that stupid tie in their results. If they tied with Gryffindor, Gryffindor would get the cup because they would have three wins. If Slytherin lost... well they would lose - hence no cup.

That meant that the only way Slytherin could win the Quidditch cup was through defeating Gryffindor. But Ash hoped that, that little fact would pose no problem to them.

"Good job guys!" Ash grinned at her friends widely as they walked off the Quidditch field and got ready to head back to the castle. "I think we're ready to kick those Gryffindors asses next week!"

The others cheered at her words and happily chatted along as they changed their clothing and stored away their brooms and other Quidditch gear.

Quickly she finished getting changed and walked straight out the room, where Chase already waited for her. Together they walked back to the castle in silence.

"Blaise!" Ash called over to her friend, before running up to him and jumping on his back.

"Hey Ash," Blaise chuckled at the blond haired girl and secured her by snaking his arms around her thighs, giving her a piggy-back ride. "How was practice?"

"Goooooooooooooooooooooooood! We'll kick Gryffindors butt!"

"Good, good."

"And you know what I can't wait for?"

"No, but I think you'll tell me soon."

"To see Harry run through the castle naked!" she grinned mischievously.

Blaise chuckled silently, but she felt his body shake with every chuckle. "I don't know, I think I'll cheer for Gryffindor this time around," he stated with a smirk.

Shocked, Ash hit her friend jokingly, "you want to see me running through the castle naked?"

"Well, it would be a more pleasing sight then Potter."

"Ass."

"Thank you."

"Where's Tracy?"

"No idea, I think she wanted to do something in the Library."

"Alright my faithful horse! To the Library!" she yelled and leaned backwards to smack her friends butt, making him jump for a second, before he slowly started walking towards their destination. "Faster Blaise! Faster!" she moaned in a very distinctive tone of voice, making her peers look at them in horror as they passed them. Once again Blaise was happy that he couldn't blush.

"Ash, you're embarrassing!" he cursed, while walking faster.

"No I'm not, you're just easily embarrassed," she cooed and got off his back when they reached the library. "Do you see her anywhere?"

"N- yes over there, sitting with Nott."

"With Theodore, huh?" she said before walking over to them.

"Well, well, well, who have we here?" she asked quietly, snaking her arms around Tracy's shoulders and placing her head on her friends shoulder. "Tracy and Theodore, huh? I'm really scared," she joked and looked at what they were doing.

"Hey Ash," they said in unison, making the Weasley look up at their faces again.

"What are you two up to?"

"We're studying," Theodore answered.

"Studying, huh?" Ash asked and looked at Tracy with her eyebrow raced.

"Yes, studying."

"For what?"

"For the N.E.W.T.s"

"Newts?" Ash asked thinking of those cute little lizard-like creatures that she always saw near the lake.

"No not newts. N.E.W.T.s, as in the exams that are starting the week after Easter."

"Oh... those..." Ash said wide eyes, finally remembering the exams she was supposed to take in five weeks time. "But its still five weeks away!"

"Yes, only five weeks!" Tracy sighed and rolled her eyes. "You should start learning to if you want to get good grades."

"Ah, no need to worry, my memory is awesome! I never forget anything!" she smiled jokingly. "Well, but I guess I'll leave you two on learning all this boring stuff and go outside and tan a bit in the sun," she grinned, seeing Tracy pull a face. Quickly she gave both of the Slytherins a peck on the cheek before grabbing Blaise's hand and leading him to the school gardens.

Getting comfortable on a nice and sunny spot near the lake, they lay down on the soft grass, enjoying the sun.

After a few minutes of silence, Ash asked "Do you also have to learn for the N.E.W.T.s?"

"Nah, not yet. I'll stress myself in the Easter holidays."

"Hehe, same here. We can stress together!"

"Yeah... by the way, do you already know what you'll do during the Easter holidays?"

"Study," she joked, but knew what he actually meant, in the Winter holidays Oriana - his mother - begged her to come visit them again in the Easter holidays, but she didn't want to get out of the school at this time. "I'm going to stay at Hogwarts, this time around," she said and rolled onto her stomach to look at him.

"Why?"

"I don't have all to good experiences with easter and visiting family," she told him truthfully, knowing he knew what she meant.

Blaise looked at her, before gently stroking back one of her hair strands behind her ear. "You know... They always say to get right back on the horse if you fall off."

Ash chuckled quietly. "Well, the second reason I have, is because I'm not sure if I would actually study at your house." she said with a mysterious smirk and leaning up to him, their face only centimetres apart.

"What do you mean?" he said swallowing hard.

"Your mom wouldn't let me have a minute for myself," she laughed and pulled away, seeing him roll his eyes.

"You're mean, you know that?"

"Yeah I know. And you know what?"

"What?"

"You're cute," she smiled at him before turning away and letting her head rest on his chest. There she could hear his irregular heart beat pump blood through his body, before he finally calmed down again and the now steady rhythm lulled her into sleep, while she could feel his fingers slowly run over her back, over and over again.


	50. Chapter 49 - Gryffindor vs Slytherin

Today was the big day.

Today they were fighting the hardest game of the year.

Today the banners called for the Quididitch game of the year.

Green vs. Red

Silver vs. Gold

**Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!**

"Oi Potter!" the Weasley girl in the green cape called from the other side of the Great Hall. Glancing up at the sound of his name, the brown haired boy with the emerald green eyes and the scar on his forehead saw the Slytherin Captain looking at him.

"Yes?"

"Don't forget our little bet, my love! You'll be running round the school naked in no time at all!" she yelled and the Slytherin table cheered loudly at her unspoken promise as well as the girls from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

"Oh yeah? That's new, as far as I see it, it'll be you flashing us all!" he yelled back, followed by a cheer of the Gryffindor table. As well as the boys from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

It had surprised the whole student body at the colours that the Great Hall had been tainted in. Normally it was pretty clear that three fourth of the crowd were clothed in red, while only the Slytherin table wore green. Today however the Hall was pretty much divided in half. Most of the girls wearing green. And most of the boys were wearing red. Rather than rooting for the team it seemed as if they were just trying to cheer for the team, whose victory would ensure that the captain of the other gender had to strip and run.

Ash laughed at Harrys comeback and winked at him before returning to her food.

"I still can't believe that you agreed to this stupid bet!" Blaise sighed and shook his head.

"Oh come on, bets like these are the whole fun in games like these." Ash chuckled happily as she let her eyes sweep over the hall, "and look at all this green! I'm really starting to get excited about this game!" she grinned.

"But their only cheering for us, in order to see Potter naked," Tracy argued.

"So? Who cares, they still want us to win, don't they?"

"I guess so..." Tracy sighed, but then smiled cheerfully. "Well, I just hope you'll kick their asses!"

"We definitely will!," Ash grinned and looked down the table at the other Slytherin Quidditch team members.

They were now sitting in front of her, eyes wide and excited as the listened to her word.

"All right guys! This is it. This is the final game, the game in which we will decide who will get this years Quidditch Cup!" the Slytherin Captain said as she walked up and down in front of her Team.

"We had an awesome start at the beginning of the year, and even though the last game didn't grace us with the best outcome, it is clear that we are the best of the best, we are the team that will win this freaking Cup this year!" she yelled.

"And do you know why? We will win because we deserve it! We deserve to win this freaking cup!"

"I don't want to see any slacking off this time around! I know all of you are able to try it again next year, but this year is my last opportunity to get that freaking shiny Cup and I want it in my hands in the next hour or so! Do you understand?"

The Slytherins nodded their heads.

"I cant hear you!" she shouted, and this time received a louder response, but it was still not enough.

"I still can not hear you! What will we do?" she yelled even louder.

"We will crush Gryffindor!" the Slytherins yelled.

Again she pushed forward her ear and yelled "What will we do?"

"We Will Crush Gryffindor!" her team mates yelled as loud as they could.

"Exactly! We will go out there and we will crush those Gryffindors!" The captain yelled and the Slytherin Team cheered at her words, jumping onto their feet and roaring for victory.

Watching them with a proud smile on her face, Ash nodded her head approvingly and grabbed her bat and broom.

"Lets go," she called and lead the way from the changing room towards the pitch, where they could already hear the crowds roars and cheers calling out to them...

"Welcome to the last game of the season! SLYTHERIN vs. GRYFFIDOR!" Amelia voice echoed through the stadium as the two teams entered the field and the crowd roared in anticipation.

As the teams made their way towards Madam Hootch, who was waiting in the centre of the pitch, both Captains let their eyes sweep over the crowd and the sky. Pulling a grimace, Ash looked back at her fellow team mates.

"Looks like its gonna pour," she told them, just as they could hear thunder rolling towards them. "Best you summon your goggles." As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw her team get out their wands and soon seven goggles raced towards them. Looking at the Gryffindor team, she saw that they had the same idea as them. Swiftly they let the goggles glide over their heads, and rest on their foreheads until the rain would finally reach them.

Finally they reached Madam Hootch.

"Good, I see you've got your goggles ready," she nodded approvingly. "Now, I want a nice fair and square game, do you all understand?" she asked, again looking pointedly at Ash, much to her annoyance.

"Captains shake your hands."

Smiling a little Ash walked towards Harry and stretched out her hand. "Good luck, Harry, you'll need it!" she smirked, receiving a smug smile as well.

"I think you'll need it more then us," he told her.

"Ah, that nearly sounds like a threat!" Ash joked cockily, glancing at her red haired cousins, "Tell my family that I won't go easy against them, I'm in the hope that they will do their best as well," she told him with a small smile on her lips, that showed how excited she was about the game.

"Same goes for them," Harry ensured her. "Now, show us what you're made off!"

With an determined nod both of the Captains pulled their hands back and joined their teams once again.

Slowly Madam Hootch went over to the box containing the balls and opened it. The first ball to escape was the snitch, which quickly fluttered around the eyes of the Seekers for a second, as if trying to taunt them and then flew up into the air, vanishing in the black clouds above them.

Next the Bludgers were set free from their restrains and shot away from the box into freedom, waiting for the chance to attack the witches and wizards, when they would rise into the sky.

Lastly, Hootch took out the last ball in the box, the Quaffle.

"Alright, mount your brooms!" she screamed, and the players followed suit.

Madam Hootch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle and swiftly 15 brooms rushed high, high up into the air and Madam Hootch through up the Quaffle.

"The Quaffle is released and the game begins!" Amelia screamed.

"The Quaffle is immediately taken by the Gryffindor Chaser Ginny Weasley. But whats that? A Bludger sends the Quaffle flying right out of Weasley hands and right into the hands of Breaker one of Slytherins Chasers! Who sent that Bludger? Of course! It was Weasley! Captain of the Slytherin Team Ash Weasley hit the Quaffle out of her cousins hand with the Bludger! What a game!"

"Breaker races through the air, Donot and Montague flying beside her in a triangle and forcing the Gryffindors out of the way. Once again Slytherin is showing us a very nice tactics play, this one is called the Hawkshead Attacking Formation! Now only Weasley is in the way. And with Weasley, I mean Ron Weasley, Gryffindors Keeper! Damn it! There's too many Weasley's in this game - I'll refer to their first names from now on!"

"Breaker moves the Quaffle over her head to throw - Ron watches her closely, She throws towards the left hoop! Ron moves! But no! Montague hits the Quaffle with his broom and it flies into the hands of Donot, who throws it into the wide open right hoop! 10 Points for Slytherin!"

The green crowd roar in approval as the three chasers high-fived each other.

But in that second the Quaffle was caught by Bell and swiftly they flew towards the Slytherin goal.

"Don't slack of because of one goal, you idiots!" Ash screamed at her Chasers, sending them rushing after Bell. But Bell was too far gone, swiftly she threw the Quaffle into the left hoop, Bole not being able to reach it in time.

"10 points for Gryffindor!" Amelia screamed into her microphone. "Now it stands 10:10!" cheers erupted from the red crowd as the game continued.

"Bole has the Quaffle and throws it to his team mate Montague. - Weasley, I mean Ginny interferes! She catches the Quaffle in between them and throws it into the centre hoop! Another 10 points for Gryffindor!"

"Slytherins Captain Ash Weasley is furious and is screaming at her keeper! It looks as if she wants to rip off his head! Well I guess its understandable, who would want to run through the castle ground naked!" Amelia joked, and continued watching the game unfold.

"Now she gestures to Orion! I guess their starting up their Beaters play again!

"With new determination in their eyes, the Slytherins steal the ball of the Gryffindors Chaser Robin and are headed towards the goal! Montague has the Quaffle - kicks it hard to Breaker, who weaves in and out of the opponents - she throws back to Montague - he stops while the Gryffindor team rushes past him - the Gryffindor chasers turn while Montague throws the Quaffle to Donot who leaps into the air and scores! Breaker catches it and drop kicks it back towards Montague - Montague jumps from his broom - HEADBUTTS it into the hoop! Another 10 points for Slytherin! The score is now 30:20 for Slytherin. Gryffindor Keeper Ron Weasley had no chance to stop this attack. The German National Teams Special Move has now fully been integrated into the Slytherins play!

"Robin has the Quaffle again - Ouch! that must hurt. Slytherin Weasley hit her straight on the back with a Bludger. - Robin lets the Quaffle fall, and Ginny catches it! The Quaffle is still in the hands of the Gryffindors! But no! Ginny lets go of the Quaffle when Orion hits her broom with the Bludger and throws her off balance. Now Donot catches the ball and zooms into the Gryffindor half of the field."

Again thunder rolled over them, closely followed by the first rain drops, which soon turned into buckets of water being thrown through the air. Cursing the players quickly pulled down their goggles and continued playing - trying to ignore the rain as much as possible.

"Donot reaches the goal - she's going to sco- No! Excellent move of Ron Weasley who intercepts the ball in the last meter and hits it to his sister Ginny Weasley. - Ginny races into the sky, the clouds blocking her out of sight! Where will she appear?

"There she is! But without the Quaffle! Where is the Quaffle!?"

Everyone was looking around the pitch searching for the Chaser with the Quaffle as suddenly Breaker appeared in front of Ron.

"SCORE FOR SLYTHERIN - Breaker must have stole the Quaffle from Ginny in the clouds because she just appeared in front of an unsuspecting Ron and sent the Quaffle into the hoop! 40:20 for Slytherin.

"Ron has the ball and passes it to Robin - Robin passes the Quaffle to Bell and together they rush towards the Slytherin goal - Weas- Ginny right behind them. Now they are using the Hawkshead Attacking Formation! - But no! Ash Weasley and Chase Orion both send a Bludger into their mids, dispersing them! Montague take this opportunity to snatch the Quaffle away form them.

"What's that! Harry Potter seems to have seen the snitch! He's heading straight towards the ground - Henry Harper, the Slytherin Seeker right at his heels. They're racing towards the ground, Harpers next to Potter! Suddenly Potter moves sideways and knocks Harper into Montague! - Montague loses the Quaffle and Ginny Weasley catches it and throws it into the Slytherins hoop! 10 points for Gryffindor by using the Bulgarian Special Move! Potter is showing Weasley that their team isn't the only one who can integrate special moves into their play.

"But Weasley is grinning! She's - she's quacking? Yes, she's making quacking sounds like a frog. It seems to be a signal for her Chasers, because they come together, Quaffle in their mids! The Chasers are passing the Quaffle to each other - while the Gryffindor chasers are trying to catch snatch the Quaffle away, without success. Breaker - Donot - Montague - Donot - Montague - Breaker - Do - No! Breaker jumped onto Donots broom, while passing the Quaffle back to Montague! Montague uses Ron's confusion to hit the ball into the centre hoop! Another 10 points for Slytherin - this time using a French move. The score right now is 50:30 for Slytherin"

"Beat that," Ash grinned, flying passed Harry, who looked furious.

"At least we don't have to steal moves from other teams! We can think of our own!"

"Oh yeah? then why did you just use the Bulgarian one?"

"Just to show you that your not special by doing stuff like this. Everyone can do that!"

"Whatever makes you happy," Ash snickered and flew away again. Searching for the next opportunity to save the day with her Bludger.

"Gryffindor has the Quaffle again! Weasley flies towards the Slytherin goals, zigzagging her way through the defenses. - Weasley is right in front of the Slytherin hoops, - only Bole is in her way! She thr- no reverse passes to Robin - Robin shoots and SCORES! 10 Points for Gryffindor due to a wonderful pass by Ginny Weasley!

"Bole throws the Quaffle back into the game - Breaker catches it - but Bell steals it from the Slytherin - she races towards the goal and SCORES! Another ten points for Gryffindor! The score is now 50:50! Man, what a game! With this good a game, I don't care that I'm getting soaked over here!"

"Slytherin scores another goal!" Amelia said into the microphone as she saw Montague punch the Quaffle into the Gryffindor's left hoop. "The score is now 430:420 for Gryffindor!"

A few people cheered for their team, but it had gotten a lot quieter, as a few students had already walked up to the castle to get something to eat or drink.

The sun had set a while ago and the whole pitch was now illuminated by gigantic flood lights, that hung over the stadium.

The game has already been running for eleven hours straight, in the pouring rain. The wind had pulled on them without mercy and slowly the players as well as the watcher were tiring out. Never before had a Hogwarts game lasted this long, one more hour and they could call on the rule of a two hour break!

The seekers had seen the snitch up to ten times already, but every time they neared it the wind had gotten in their way and the snitch had vanished.

"Ash!" Harper called out as the seeker flew up to his captain.

"Harper! Any sign of the snitch?"

"Nah, we lost it again," he said disappointed. "We should ask for a break, I'm starting to get really tired and I fear I'm getting a cold..."

Ash frowned but nodded courtly, "Can you keep it up for another hour? We'll be able to get a two hour break then," she told her Seeker with concern.

"Sure... I'll try my best to find that stupid little thing until then!"

"Good, do that!" Ash smiled at him and watched him fly away. Under her, she saw the Chasers chase each other tirelessly - even though she saw that they were just able to manage staying on their brooms. She understood how they felt. She felt the same way.

Her every muscle ached, her butt was numb, she couldn't feel her broom any more. Her robes were drenched and thanks to the cold spring wind she was freezing all over her body. But worst of all were her arms. She had been beating the Bludgers at full force the whole day long and slowly but surely her swings were getting too weak to really force the Buldgers into the desired direction. Moreover, the last time that she hit the Bludger it had been more like the Bludger hitting her, ripping her arm out of the shoulders socket and maybe ripping a few muscles, she had suppressed a scream, but ever since that time, she only hit Bludgers with her left arm.

Furthermore, her stomach was demanding food and water and her eyes were demanding rest as well.

Frustrated and tired she let her broom drop towards the ground, hoping it would give her the needed adrenaline kick for the next 45 minutes.

"Ash Weasley is dropping from the sky!" Amelia wondered surprised, "Did she fall asleep? Did she maybe see the snitch? - No wait, that wouldn't help Slytherin... But what is... Oh, Ash pulls up again, looking a bit refreshed.. I guess she needed an adrenaline rush?" Amelia laughed. "Oh how I wish I could have one as well..." she muttered and continued watching the Chasers for a new, surprising move... that just didn't want to come.

Finally the 12 hours were nearly over, and Ash flew to where she had spotted Harry scanning the ground.

"Hey Harry!" she called out through the rain, while watching the Chasers chase through the clouds trying to score, again and again.

"Oh, Ash, its you."

"Yeah... the 12 hours are over now. I wanted to suggest a break. Both our teams are exhausted, we're not getting anywhere."

Harry looked at the other captain and sighed. "The 12 hours are over? Finally! Yeah, I know. Sounds like a plan, I guess... I just don't get where that stupid ball is hiding!" he muttered and together the two of them flew over to Madam Hootch.

"We need a break, Madam Hootch!" they told her in unison and the referee just nodded, pulling out her whistle and letting a loud blast roll out of it.

"THE GAME IS TAKING A TWO HOUR BREAK!" she screamed and Amelia repeated after her, so that everyone could hear.

A loud cheer erupted in all mouths that were still present at the stadium.

Before letting the teams go though Madam Hootch called them to her. "You can either go back to the castle, or you can stay in your cabins. Just don't forget to be back on the field in two hours sharp. If your late your team will get disqualified. Understood?"

The tired teams nodded at the teacher and raced back to the entrance of the changing rooms.

"Merlin, I'm tired!" Christina sighed as she let herself fall onto the bench in their changing room.

"Same here, I can't believe how long we've been up there!" Graham said letting him fall onto the floor.

"It's time for you to find that stupid snitch Harper!" Sean growled at the Seeker.

"Sorry, but did you want to become Seeker? I'm sure you'll find it right away, Bole!" Henry yelled at the keeper.

"Shut up, both of you! I know your tired and frustrated! I am as well! But it's not time to give up yet! We will rest the next two hours - without killing each other - and then we will go back out there and win this stupid game! Do you understand me?" Ash screamed at her team before fisting her hands and ramming one of them into the locker. Pain severed through her body, and she nearly fell on the floor screaming, but she didn't. She stood unfazed for her team.

Trying to calm down and numb the pain a bit by taking deep breaths, Ash sighed and looked at her team again. "I'm sorry, I'm just a bit on the edge right now. I'm going to take a hot shower now, change into something dry, then grab a bite to eat and rest. Madam Pomfrey should be checking up on us any minute now, so if you have any injuries or if you're feeling sick, she'll take care of you. Any questions?" she asked pinching her nose bridge.

Seeing as there were no questions, she grabbed a dry change of her Slytherin ropes from the locker. Then she headed towards the shower rooms - going straight into one of the closed showers.

As soon as she closed the shower cabins door behind her, she let her back rest on the door and slowly stripped out of her clothes. Being extra careful when she got to her right arm. Examining it carefully, she saw that it was any colour except the original pale skin colour and it looked to her laymen eyes as if one of her muscles had ripped and due to the simple fact the she couldn't move any fingers on her right hand, she guessed that it was broken as well.

Turning on the water Ash let burning hot water hit her freezing cold skin, making her flinch and give a little scream as her skin turned lobster red. As soon as she warmed up a bit, she turned the heat down to a acceptable temperature and just run over her skin. Slowly it warmed her up, the warmth finally seeping through to her bones and making her feel as if her bones melted away. Slowly her knees got weak and she found herself sitting on the floor, warm water gushing down on her and pushing her muscle aches away.

After what felt like an eternity, Ash felt as if she could get of the floor again and quickly dried herself up. Slipping on the new and dry Slytherin uniform, Ash felt much refreshed much calmer then she had before.

Relaxed she exited the shower room and saw the others, warmed up and dry. Seemingly they had been in the shower without her noticing. They were all sitting around a table filled with food and drinks for them.

"Hey," she said and joined the others, who smiled at her warmly. "How long have I been in the shower?"

"I would say about half an hour," Chase told her. "Did it relax you?"

"Oh yes! I can't believe how good a shower is if your bodies aching all over!" she smiled and grabbed a bit of food as soon as she heard her stomach demanding.

The others laughed and agreed with her and together they continued filling their stomach with the best food they seem to have ever tasted and discussing about anything but Quidditch, trying to forget about the fact that they would have to be back on their brooms in only one and a half hours.

When their stomachs were filled and their nerves were calmed, Madam Pomfrey finally came to see them.

"Hello my dears!" she said smiling as she walked into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you," Ash answered for the team.

"Now, do you have any ailments that need to be treated?" she asked in an concerned tone of voice.

"Yeah, Christina seems to have a broken rib or something and Graham's chest hurts. Anything else?"

"Yes, my leg hurts like a bitch as well" Chase answered.

Sean laughed, "and my whole body feels as if I had fallen of an skyscraper!"

"How about you my dear?"

"Nothing much, do the others first," Ash answered softly and let herself fall onto the bench, unnoticeably cradling her right arm.

"Miss. Weasley" Madam Pomfrey said sternly, "I will do you first. I bet you have to do some kind of captainy-thing for which you will need your full strength!"

"No! Really do the others first!"

"Miss. Weasley, I do not want to discuss this with you. Follow me!" she said and walked out of the door another room.

Grumpily, she followed the nurse in silence "Now tell me what you have, I know you Quidditch Team captains, always the ones with the worst injuries but wanting the others healed first"

Ash scowled. "My right arm," she said grumpily and allowed Madam Pomfrey to take off her ropes and examine the arm.

"Dear, dear, dear. Two ripped muscles and your whole hand is broken... how did you even move this arm?" she asked starring at the pouting girl in shock.

"No idea, just did"

"And when did you feel the first muscle rip?"

Ash looked up at the nurse and sighed, "about one and a half hours before the break," she answered truthfully.

The nurse shook her head in disbelieve, "you know at times like those, you call for a break."

"We were to near the half hour mark," Ash told her defiantly and watched as the disappointed nurse nursed her arm back to its original state.

"You'll be having a hard time moving the muscles for a few hours, but other then that you should be back to normal quiet soon," the nurse said curtly and excused the Slytherin while she got the next patient.

Sitting back down in the changing room with her team mates, it didn't take long until they heard a knock on the door.

Seeing as Sean was nearest to the door, he walked over and opened the door, glancing out and asking a question in a rude tone of voice.

Unhappily, Sean turned to look at Ash. "Potter is here. He wants to talk to you."

Confused Ash walked up to the door and told Sean that he could sit back down.

"What do you want?" she asked carefully, blocking the view from her team.

"Can we talk?" looking at him confused, Ash nodded and told the others that she'd be right back.

Slowly they walked away from the changing room, down the corridor until they found an quiet place to speak.

"I wanted to propose a game stop," he said, once he made sure no one was there to hear them.

"A what?"

"I want to stop the game, if both captains come to a mutual consent, the game can be stopped as it is. No need to catch the snitch."

"And who would win?"

Harry coughed a bit. "Um... the one with more points."

"Meaning you," Ash stated nodding. "No thank you, no interest in losing."

"Come on Ash! Think about your team! We're all tired, we don't want to play any more. Lets just end it here, right now."

Ash stopped for a second, then motioned Harry to follow her.

"Alright Slytherin Team!" she called once she threw open the door and marched into the room, closely followed by an uncomfortable looking Harry.

"Potter here has made an proposition. He wants to end the game. No need to go back out there, no need to catch the snitch. Just take the points as they are now and lose. Well, in his teams case, I guess it would be a win," she said turning around, hoping... no knowing that her team would never give up this way.

But the enraged screams of protest that she anticipated never came. Shocked she turned back around and saw her team looking on the floor embarrassed.

"You ... you want to give up?" she asked shocked at their silence. "You want those twelve hours we've been playing already to be for nothing?" she asked, her voice losing any calm that it still had and edging on hysteric.

"No winning of the Quidditch Cup? No fighting spirit in you guys any more?" By this time, tears were rimming her eyes, but she didn't let them fall just yet.

"Chase?" she asked looking at her fellow beater - he couldn't meet her eyes.

Taking a sharp breath, she looked at "Christina? - same reaction.

Wiping away a few tears she turned to "Harper?" - nothing.

"Sean? Isable? Graham?" No body looked at her, none of them fought with her. None of them wanted to play any more.

"Harry?" she asked, nearly not audible, breath caught in her throat. She didn't even turn around as she asked "Could we continue our conversation at the end of the two hours?"

Quickly Harry nodded and walked out the door, closing it behind him. Silence spread in the changing room as everyone was lost in thought and embarrassment.

"Ash?" Chase asked after a few minutes, finally he trusted himself to look up, but he regretted it instantly. What he saw wasn't the girl he normally knew. The strong happy-go-lucky prankster. Instead he found her crying just keeping herself from falling onto the floor by shear will.

Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks swollen and streaked with shining lines, where the tears had run over.

"D..." she started, but had to stop again, swallowing a sob, "Do you really... want to quit?"

"Ash," Christina answered. "It's nearly one o'clock in the morning! We've been playing for twelve hours straight. We're exhausted and everything hurts us! We can't go on! We don't want to play any more."

Ash took a deep breath. "I know that. I've been on that field just as long as you have! I'm just as exhausted and hurting as you are. But does that really mean that we have to give up?" Ash asked sadly. "The others came to us with this proposal! They are just as exhausted as we are! We still have a chance on winning this stupid cup! Lets do it!"

"Why should we?" Montague asked. "If the cup is that stupid, why should we try to get it? We can always get it again next year!"

"You... you're right... I understand... Why should you," Ash smiled slightly. "Well I guess, you can all go now," she chocked out, "I'll go to the pitch and tell Madam Hootch and the people that may still be sitting there."

Slowly she turned away from her former team mates and walked up to the door. Slowly she stretched out her hand to open and leave, but suddenly her emotions flipped from depressed to furious.

Swiftly she turned around and glared at the six people in front of her. "Fuck! No. You know what? I don't fucking understand! We've been training for this freaking match since six straight weeks, nearly every day! We've done anything to improve and now you guys just want to quit? Hell no! You know why you freaking people will march onto that field with me and will try your HARDEST to win this freaking match? Because I am you captain and because I want to win this stupid cup! If you don't do as I say, I will not only make sure that you will never be able to play Quidditch again, but I will make sure to personally curse you with the worst imaginable curses that I can find! I will rip out your guts, stomp on them until their unrecognisable and then stuff them up your loser asses! I will make your life a living hell! Did I make myself clear?" she screamed, near hysterics again. The only answer she got were plate sized eyes and shivers running down their backs.

"Did I make myself clear!?" she screamed even louder, making them jump and nod if fear.

"Good. Now get ready. We have a game to play," she spat and took a hold of her broom and bat, watching the others with a glare as they scrambled off their lazy asses and got ready for the final round in the game.

"Welcome back everyone to the start of the second round, the 13th hour of the match Slytherin vs. Gryffindor." Amelia yelled into her microphone, "The players are fitter, as am I, thank you for your concern and finally the rain has stopped! Hopefully our Seekers will be able to catch the Snitch now that the wind won't carry it away again!" she said.

"Now the teams are once again standing on the field, but something has changed. Not only did their injuries heal, but somehow the determination in the Slytherins eyes seems to have grown once again, while the Gryffindor teams seems a bit shocked and confused. I wonder what happened during the break!

"Anyway, Madam Hootch is blowing into her whistle and the game continues! Donot catches the Quaffle and flies straight to the Slytherin goal, before the Keeper Ron Weasley could even reach the hoops! SCORE! Both teams have now 430 points!"

"From behind the hoops Breaker hits the Quaffle back to Donot - Donot blocked by Weasley passes to Montague who throws and SCORE! 440:430 for Slytherin!"

Quickly Ash flew over to Harry and grinned, "Still want to end with an consent?" she asked jokingly.

"What did you do to get them this fired up again?"

Ash debated what to say for a few seconds then grinned said, "I held a very dramatic and dynamic speech," before flying away.

Quickly she shot up high into the air and hit a Bludger right at Ginny as she was about to score a goal, hitting her outstretched arm. "Oops..." Ash said biting her lower lip, but only watched as Ginny let her broom land on the ground and walked up to Madam Pomfrey, who was already preparing to heal her arm.

That little demonstration, fired up the Slytherins even more, so that they once again became and unbeatable wall. In the next hour the Slytherin Chasers made 3 more goals. And finally after another hour of playing, Ash saw Harper shoot across the air straight at Harry. Shocked and with weakening reactions, he dived out of Harpers way. Harper quickly stretched out his hand and caught it!

"BLOODY MERLIN! THE SLYTHERIN SEEKER HENRY HARPER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! HE CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH AND HENCE ENDED THE GAME! SLYTHERIN WIN WITH 620 POINTS! This game is sure to go into Hogwarts history!"

A cheer by the green clad crowd emerged and Ash grinned at Harper, flying up at him and embracing him tightly. "You did it! You did it!" Ash chanted over and over.

Happy with his success, Harper hugged his captain back and grinned. "Yes! I did!" he screamed in excitement as they flew to the ground, greeted by surprisingly many green clad Slytherins that were celebrating their victory over Gryffindor and the winning of the Quidditch Cup.

Crowded by the others, Ash didn't notice the Gryffindor captain walk up to them until he called out to them. Quickly Ash turned around and grinned at them.

"Congratulations on winning!" Harry said carefully, holding out his hand to shake.

"Thank you, it was a pretty awesome game, was it not?"

"Yes, you could say so..."

"Is Ginny alright? I didn't mean to break her arm"

"Yeah, Madam Pomfrey already fixed her," Harry answered shortly.

"Good. Tell her I'm sorry, but I said that I wouldn't hold back today."

"I'll tell her."

"Thanks!"

"Well, I wish you a nice rest of the weekend!" Harry said and nodded towards her, before joining his team again at the other side of the pitch.

Happily Ash walked up to her team and jumped onto Chase's back - but being weak from the match he couldn't hold her and they fell to the ground, face first. Laughing they stood back up and slowly but cheerfully walked to the castle when Ash yelled, "lets go home!"


	51. Chapter 50 - Spoils of Victory

Sleep. Sleep was all that they wanted to do the next day, sleep and never ever wake up. But that of course was a no go, with all the Slytherins that hadn't been at the end of the game and only realized that their team had actually won this never ending match, when the Slytherins that had stayed at the game happily stormed into the common room and woke everyone up.

Next thing Ash knew, after falling asleep on her heavenly bed, was being woken by Tracy and Blaise jumping onto her - squashing her at the process. Then she could here cheers from outside the room and even in the common room.

Still half asleep, Tracy and Blaise forced Ash out of her comfortable bed and made her take a shower and change into normal clothing. "You'll have time enough to sleep when your dead" they chanted and dragged her out to the crowded common room, where the rest of her team was already standing - looking like zombies.

The Slytherins had been celebrating the victory all night long while the team slept, understanding that they were to exhausted, but now - after letting them sleep for six whole hours, they didn't find themselves very lenient any more.

When they saw the Slytherin Quidditch Team stand in front of them, they started cheering for them.

"These people are so mean!" Ash whispered into Chases ear, while letting her head rest on his shoulder for support.

"I know. They've go no heart," Chase agreed, but they couldn't help but smile at the great cheerfulness of their peers.

Smiling Ash stood up straight and bowed to their supporters, the rest of the team followed her example. "Thank you guys for supporting us all this way! Thank you for cheering for us and believing that we would manage this task! But now, lets to the Great Hall and grab a bite to eat!"

Again cheering erupted out of their mouths and together all of them marched to the Great Hall, stomachs growling.

When they entered the Great Hall, they were greeted with cheers of congratulations and respect, even from the other houses. Seeing this, a goofy grin spread across the faces of the Slytherin Quidditch Team as they let themselves be celebrated.

Still entertaining the goofy expression, Ash and the team finally settled down at their table and enjoyed the fabulous meal... well they enjoyed their scrambled eggs and cereals, but even dirt would have tasted fabulous at the high they were momentarily in.

About two hours later the Gryffindor team also entered the Great Hall - What a difference two hours made! They actually looked refreshed. When the Slytherin team saw them, they smiled at them and started clapping for them as well. Soon the Great Hall followed their example and cheered for the Gryffindor team. Sure they lost, but they put up an awesome fight and didn't give up and that is something one most respect.

Hearing the cheers for them, the Gryffindors entertained the same goofy smiles as the Slytherins just had, before walking over to their table to grab something to eat.

When Ash finally finished eating and socialising, she got up of the table and walked over to the Gryffindor table.

"What's with that cheeky grin, losers?" she asked, showing them with a grin that she was joking.

"Morning Ash," Hermione answered with a smile, while the others grumbled into their food.

"Ah, I guess I managed to ruin the moment again," Ash laughed and sat down between Harry and Ginny, much - as they clearly let her feel - too the annoyance of them both.

Ignoring their 'decent' hints to sit somewhere else (including pushing, asking, shoving and failed attempts to tickle or embarrass her), she sighed and turned to look at Ginny. "Did Harry tell you that I said I'm sorry about your arm?"

"Yeah he did," she said with a nod.

"I really am!"

"I know! I know... Normally that Bludger wouldn't have hit me, I was too slow."

"I don't know, I'm a pretty good beater," she said with a smile tugging on her lips as she saw Ginny trying to hold back a smile as well. "So now to the real reason I came," she said and gracefully turned to look at Harry, letting her head fall to the side, cradling it with her hand. "Mister Harry James Potter, I do believe that we had a little bet running" Ash grinned smugly at his person.

"Really? I don't seem to recall that," he said wide eyed, knowing what was about to come.

"Oh come on mate, don't be a ferret," Ash said playfully and batted her eyes at him.

"A ferret?"

"I could have also said a Draco, but I was hoping you would get the hint," she answered, rolling her eyes. When Harry still looked a bit confused, Ash turned around to Ginny and asked in a whisper, "You're not the type to go for bright guys, are you?" Ginny just rolled her eyes in return.

"Anyway, you accepted the bet, so go strip, shave and run."

"Oh come on, if we won you wouldn't do it!"

"Course I would. I do have my pride you know."

"No you wouldn't..." then he turned to look at Ron, "would she?"

"She definitely would," Ron nodded with a grimace.

Harry grimaced as well, but then remembered her exact words. "Wait... Shave?"

"Of course."

"We never said anything about shave!"

"Oh, my love, we did. As far as I remember the bet was on your hair, you hairy potter. And to prove that all that hair is off, you were supposed to run through the school naked. But don't worry, I only remembered that part of the bet yesterday before I fell asleep."

"No, no, no I wouldn't agree on that!"

"As a matter of fact Harry, you did. I was keeping quiet about it, hoping that she forgot but no such chance," Hermione told him, with an apologetic look on her face.

"Argh... Traitor. Why did you have to remember that part?" he groaned and got of the bench. "Do you have a razor?"

Ash was grinning widely as she nodded wildly and reached into her pocket - where she had stored a whole pack of throw-away-razors for this moment. "I can't wait to see you run around the school, my love. I hope you wont get any detention for that."

Groaning Harry walked out of the Great Hall, razors in his pocket and the secret thought of jumping down the astronomy tower running through his head.

As they watched Harry disappear, Ron turned to his cousin. "You know your mean, right? It would have been just as embarrassing to run through the school naked, but forcing him to shave every hair of his body as well? That hurts."

"Hmm, do you think he needs help?" Ginny asked after a few seconds - making both her relatives stare at her in horror. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Help him shave?" Ash asked, with a weird tone of voice, that made Ginny realise what they were thinking.

"Oh Merlin! What do you think of me? I meant with his head! The hair on his head!"

"Oh," both Ron and Ash stated and looked away from Ginny in embarrassment. "Um... No... no I don't think so, do you Ron?"

"Nope... although maybe I'll go check on him and ask."

As Ron walked away, Ash said - loud enough for him to hear. "Ginny, you've got a rival!" The only answer she got was two fingers on two different hands, but surprisingly the same ones... The longest and apparently most insulting finger they had.

"Well darling and darling, my job here is done. I'll head over to the Slytherin table once again," she smiled and went back to sit with Tracy and Blaise.

It took Harry about two hours to get every hair on his body shaved - with a little repulsive and unwilling help from his friend Ronald. When he was ready, he quickly threw a cape around his body, pulling up the cap. Calmly he walked out of his dorm room, through the portrayed, down the staircase and through the doors of the Great Hall, where every Hogwarts student seemed to be waiting patiently for him. No teacher was in sight.

Swallowing hard and mustering all the courage and pride he had, he threw of the cape and started running through the Great Hall in pride - followed by wolf-whistles, claps and laughs.

When he ran around the Great Hall twice, he scooped up his cape, ran through the middle aisle and stopped at the Teachers desk. Turning around with a proud smile, he bowed to the clapping audience and then pulled his cape back on.

_A deals a deal_ he thought quietly.


	52. Chapter 51 - Easter

"Hey, you macho!" Ash called out to the Gryffindor table as she walked into the Great Hall. One week had passed in what felt like a second and now she had just seen off her best friends as they had got on the train home, leaving her as one of four Slytherins back in Hogwarts.

"Hey Ash," Harry answered her call annoyed. Ever since he ran through the Great Hall, many girls had increased their advances on him and Ash was teasing him none stop about it.

"What's with the long face? You should be proud at the amount of girls falling all over for you. After your little display on Sunday, I understand them though... Nearly fell in love with you myself," she grinned.

"Let me guess... the others left?"

"Yeah, they left me here, broken and alone... with two unknown first year and the horror!"

"The horror?" Ron asked confused.

"Draco," Ash answered rolling her eyes.

"Draco is staying in Hogwarts over the holiday? That's new..." Hermione said slowly, looking over to the Slytherin table where she saw Draco sitting, eating his breakfast alone.

"Yeah he said he wanted quiet time to study for the N.E.W.T.s."

"Where are the Goons?"

"On that train to London."

"Really?"

"Yeah from all Slytherins its just us two and the giggle freaks" Ash said, noticing the other two Slytherins giggle at one end of the table.

"That really is weird," Harry said glancing over his shoulder at Draco, who just finished eating and was walking out of the hall. "Where's he going?" he asked Ash

"Huh? Why do you ask me? We don't really talk any more," she said pouting. "But if you ask me, he's probably going to the Room of Requirements. He does that a lot lately."

"The Room of Requirement? What would he want there?"

"Probably a quiet room to study," Ash shrugged and looked at the door, that Draco just passed through. "Any way, what are you guys planning on doing over the Easter holidays?" she asked with a smile, turning to face the others.

"I don't know yet, probably play a bit of Quidditch and wizard chess, relax and swim," Ron answered, but Hermione shook her head.

"No Ron. We're gonna study," and when Ash snickered, she turned to look at her and added, "all of us." - that made Ron snicker.

"But you can't force us to study every hour of every week!" Harry protested, forgetting whatever ran through his mind when he saw Draco walk away.

"The N.E.W.T.s are the most important thing you'll ever write! If you want to become Auror, you will need to do exceptionally well in all of your courses," Hermione argued, while Ash snickered.

"Why are you laughing?" Hermione and Harry shot in unison.

"Oh I'm just happy that I don't really need the N.E.W.T.s," she grinned "I wanna be a singer, hence no need for me to stress myself through the whole procedure!"

"And what if that wont work? huh? You need a good foundation to make sure!" Hermione told her, with a voice that told Ash that her life was on the line of she rejected that notion.

"Alright, alright..." she said, raising her hands in the air in defence, "but at least let us wait until tomorrow! I'm way to hyper right now!" Ash grinned and got of the bench and jumped around. "Lets go to the lake!"

The sun was burning down from the sky, the lake was glistening in the light, blinding them as they neared it. The shore was plastered with those students that decided to stay in Hogwarts during the holidays.

When Ash and the trio walked up to the lake, they couldn't help but marvel over the landscape before them. It was simply beautiful.

Slowly they came to a stop on a little higher level that was covered by a tree. Getting comfortable they just stayed sitting there and allowed the scenery to relax them.

They sat there for the rest of the day, enjoying the rare rays of sun light that graced them and warming themselves in the comfortable warmth of the day.

Her dorm room was empty, when Ash woke up early the next morning. Sighing, she let her feet slide off the bed and sat up, looking at the cold, made beds and the empty floor that was normally littered with clothes or shoes and such. Next she pushed herself up and walked over to the last remaining trunk, grabbing some clothes, which she quickly put on after taking a shower.

The corridor was empty and silent as she walked down towards the common room. Normally there was always some noise to be heard. No matter if it were the extreme snores from the girl in the 5th door - which Tracy and her always made fun about - or if it were giggles of other students. But today even the portrays seemed to have gone on vacation. Rubbing her arm for warmth, Ash pushed open the first door.

The little room between the corridor and the common room was empty. Both Slytherin portrays vacant.

The common room was empty. Large black couches littered the room, the fireplace was dead and the only movement that could be seen in the entire room was the gentle weaving motion of the seaweed in front of the window. Slowly she walked over to the lake window and sat on the cold marble floor right in front of it. Calmly she let her forehead rest on the cool glass and followed the seaweeds movement back and forth with her eyes.

She stayed sitting like that for what seem to be hours, entranced by the smooth movements, not moving a muscle of her body, until she suddenly heard a door behind her open. Thrown out of her trance like state, her head snapped up and she turned to look at where the noise had come from.

There he was standing frozen in the door frame, doorknob still in his hands.

Not saying a word they just stared at each other. Not moving a muscle they just stared at each other. Never diverting their eyes, they stared at each other.

"Good Morning," she finally choked out, finding her voice again.

"G' morning," he answered quietly.

"Why are you up so early?" she asked

"I could ask you the same question," he avoided her question.

Instead of answering she just smiled at him, got off the floor and walked up to him. Softly taking his face in her hands and letting one of them glide over his soft blond hair. "You look awful," she whispered quietly into his ear as she studied his face. His skin was paler then she ever saw it. It nearly resembled the pale peach marble skin colour that Vampires seemed so proud of. He had dark shadows under his eyes and his normally perfect rose coloured full lips where chapped, pale and broken. Furthermore, she swore that she saw bite marks on them, as if he had bitten on them in frustration. Also his hair didn't resemble it former beauty. His normally silk hair was slowly getting greasy and the ends where splitting - something that he normally never allowed to happen. But worst where his eyes. The eyes that always held so much life, the eyes that normally seemed to glisten and glow with pride, were dull. No more light, no more life, no more pride. Only a haunted look, sprinkled with sorrow, pain and self loathing could be found. "What did they do to you?" the girl asked quietly, stroking his cheek softly.

"Its none of your business," he snapped and tried to pull away from her, but she stopped him by holding his left arm tightly.

"Is this the reason?" she asked quietly eyes wandering to the arm she was holding, stopping him with her words.

"What do you mean?" he asked, voice shaking.

"Oh, come on. I saw it. I know what you are," she said quietly, still holding onto his arm tightly.

"You... remember that?"

Now the girl looked at him confused. "Of course I do. How on earth could I have forgotten about that?"

The boy looked at her in fear before shaking his head furiously. "I have to go," he said and ripped out of her tight grasp and racing out of the common room, leaving her standing alone again.

With a sigh she looked around the empty common room again before swiftly following the boy out of the common room and following his thundering footsteps down the corridor.

Soon she heard him reach his destination. But unlike her expectations, he didn't run to the Great Hall or the Room of Requirements, but to Snapes office. Quickly she leaned down to the keyhole and looked inside.

The blond boy was furiously gesturing at their teacher, seemingly screaming his heart out. Meanwhile the professor just quietly sat there with an bored expression letting the boys rant go on and on and on. Patiently waiting for him to finish talking.

Because she didn't hear a word, Ash quickly searched for a better place to sit, but then remembered her expendable ears. Swiftly she summoned them to her, shrunk one end of the ear to fit into the keyhole and began to listen.

"-thought you were going to make her forget!" Draco screamed. "You told me not to worry, that you would take care of her. That she would never remember anything about the night or about the fact that I'm a Death Eater!"

"Hold on a minute, Mr. Malfoy," Snape finally interrupted, "I never said anything about making her forget that you are a Death Eater. I only shoved the memories of that one night into her subconscious, not the fact that you are what you are. That was way to long ago for me to actually being able to stop her remembering what you are and what you did. It would have caused irregularities in her actions, making sure that she would search for the missing memories and eventually finding them."

"Why didn't you just erase the memories? This all would have never-"

"You can not erase specific memories. Either you erase them all or you don't erase any. The only chance we had to not remember what you did to her was by alternating the memory and pushing the truth far away into her subconscious, where she will hopefully never find it," Snape explained and left Ash confused.

What were they talking about? Whose memory did the alter? Hers? No, that can't be right... can it? Would Snape really do this to her? What happened that they needed to alter her memories? And how did Snape know that Draco was a Death Eater? Was he a Death Eater himself? - Millions of questions shot through Ash's mind as she tried to contemplate what she just heard.

"I swore to protect you Draco. I vowed with an unbreakable vow. Trust me Draco. I did my job correctly. She will not remember anything of that night unless you give her reason to search deep inside of her own mind."

"I already told you, Professor. I don't need your protection! I was chosen to do this. From all the others, he chose me! And I will not disappoint him!" Draco said, voice shivering.

"You're scared Draco. You're trying to hide it, but you're doing a very bad that. Let me help you!"

"Never! I was chosen, this is my time to shine."

She saw Snape tighten his grip on his chair as he shook his head in disappointment. "Alright Draco. Just don't forget. If you need any help come to me. And don't worry about Weasley. She won't remember I made sure of that"

Ash saw Draco give a quick nod and then turn towards the door. "Wait Draco-" Snape started, but Ash didn't stop to listen to the last part. Quickly she retrieved the ear and ran down the corridor, hiding behind one of the statues just before Draco opened the office door and walked out.

Breathing heavily, Ash tried to calm down and make sense of what she had just heard. It seems that something had happened one night, that she was never supposed to remember. Something they made her forget... But what? What did Draco do to her? But was even more important, what exactly was Draco chosen for?

She guessed the 'he' was the Dark Lord. But why would he choose Draco for anything? What could Draco do in Hogwarts that would help Voldemort? And why would Snape make an unbreakable vow to protect Draco?

Confused and unsure of what she should do now, Ash could only think of you person that could help her now. Swiftly she stumbled up to her feet and ran down the corridor.

After a few minutes of running and stumbling and falling down the corridors, a couple of stair and into a few doors, a dishevelled looking Ash reached a Gargoyle statue. Panting she stood in front of it, dumbstruck. She didn't know the password...

"Lemon Soda," a calm voice suddenly appeared from behind her, and she quickly turned to see Dumbledore stand behind her. Just slightly behind him she saw Harry look at her, just as confused she was by his being here, but that was unimportant right now.

"Professor! I need to talk to you," she panted, looking at Dumbledore with big watery eyes.

"Harry, please come back in an hour or so, will you?" Dumbledore asked softly, only turning his head by a small degree, never leaving Ash out off his sight.

"But Pro-" Harry started, looking at her in concern.

"Harry, please," Dumbledore interrupted him, leaving Harry a bit dumb folded.

"Alright," Harry said, giving Ash one last glance of concern and confusion before turning around and walking away.

"Now, Miss. Weasley. If you please?" he said and pointed at the Gargoyle that was slowly spiralling upwards. Quickly Ash followed his lead began ascending the stairs to the Headmasters office. When they reached the top of the stairs, they passed through a small door in front of them and walked into a large tall circular room with many windows and many portraits of -what she assumed too be - old headmasters and headmistresses. The portrait right above the door being the largest and showing a thin man with a shortish white beard and friendly eyes. Under the portrait it said Armando Dippet.

_Armando Dippet?_ she asked herself before she remembered where she had seen his face before. He had a Chocolate Frog card. He had been the former Headmaster of Hogwarts and Rita Skeeter had once written an Biography of him... "Armando Dipper: Master or Moron?" it had been a very amusing read.

While Dumbledore walked up to his desk and sat down, Ash awed at the room a bit more. The office hosted to a number of spindly tables upon which were set delicate looking silver instruments that whirred and emitted small puffs of smoke, as well as an incredible collection of books, which Ash couldn't help but want to read. Also there was a cabinet that was open just a bit and let a Pensieve and a couple of memory jars shine through.

Lastly she turned to look at the headmasters table and jump a bit when she saw a bird burst into flames.

"Don't worry about Fawkes, he's a phoenix."

"Fascinating creatures," Ash said quietly as she went over to the ashes and saw a small newly born bird appear before her.

"Yes are they not?" Dumbledore said with a small smile playing on his lips as he softly stroked the birds head. "Now Miss. Weasley, why are you here?"

Ash stiffened a bit as she remembered why she had come to his office. "I didn't know whom I could turn too," she said honestly. "Normally I would ask Professor Snape for his advice, but I am afraid that he is part of the reason I needed to talk to you."

"I understand," the headmaster said quietly, before gesturing for her to take a seat. "Please, tell me what happened."

A bit uncertain Ash took one last slow look around the office - avoiding looking at Dumbledore. Then, taking a deep breath, Ash said, "I don't know where to begin."

"The start would be helpful," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.

"Well I guess you know that me and Draco - Draco Malfoy - had a relationship."

"Yes, I was aware."

"Well, I cut the ties."

"Because he had an affair with Miss. Parkinson," Dumbledore recounted.

"You're well informed," Ash said with a small smile. "Well, but that wasn't the only reason. But you must promise me that you won't tell anyone about it, nor that it will give him any trouble!" Ash said quickly, glancing up at the older man and seeing him nod in agreement before continuing. "He'saDeathEater," she said quickly.

"What did you just say?" Dumbledore said friendly.

"He's a Death Eater," Ash repeated slower this time.

"Alright. Continue."

Confused at his lack of offence Ash frowned but continued anyway, she was used to her headmaster being weird. "Anyhow, I couldn't be together with him any more after I learned that. So yeah we split up and well, lived our lives again... But back why I'm here. This morning I meet Draco in the common room and he looks really bad and behaved weirdly, so I decided to follow him. He went straight to Professor Snapes office and I ... casually listened to the conversation." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the description of her eaves-dropping, but he didn't interrupt her. "Well... He said something that concerned me. Something to do with me. He said that I wasn't supposed to remember. That Snape promised him that I would not remember him being a Death Eater and they were always talking about 'that night'... I have no idea what that's supposed to mean..."

"So you want me to check if someone messed with your head?"

Ash stayed quiet, just looking at the headmaster confused. "I ... I don't know... No. No, I don't think I want to know what they made me forget," Ash finally spoke, confused at her own words. "Is that weird?"

"No, not really. You have learned to trust those two over the last year. Now you probably think that they must have a good reason for them to make you forget. Especially because you and I know that Professor Snape would never hurt you- never would do something like this to you if it wasn't for our own well being," he said in his soft voice.

"But.. I mean it must be something important! Maybe I figured out why Draco became a Death Eater or what Voldemort is making him do... What if that information that they hid in my head somewhere is important... What if it can save some ones life or stop Voldemort from regaining power?" Ash asked getting paranoid, eyes wide.

"Do you really think they would do that?"

"They're Death Eaters, aren't they?"

"Severus was a Death Eater once, that is correct. But you know that he's in the Order now."

Ash's eyes snapped up, "you know what they did! You know what memory they manipulated and shoved into my subconscious," she whispered and slowly got off her chair, pushing it between them.

"Miss. Weasley... Ash don't be like that. You know I would never hurt one of my students," he said calmly and motioned her to sit again. "It is true that Severus did come to me a few weeks ago and told me about an incident with two of his students. Although he did not tell me who exactly it was because I told him not too."

"Do you know what happened?"

"Most of it. But trust me, its better off in you subconciousness."

Ash looked at the man before her in shock. Was it really that bad, that even Dumbledore told her not to try to regain it?

"Don't worry Ash, everything will be alright," he comforted her with his soft, warming voice that made her relax into the chair, nodding.

After a few minutes for the silence to settle, Ash broke it again. "Why was Harry here?"

Dumbledore smiled at her and accepted the change of topics. "He and I have a little project we're working on. Which reminds me, Harry and I need to carry on. Is there anything else that you want to talk to me about?"

"No, thank you professor," she said with a small smile and together they walked up to the door.

"No problem, if you ever have any concerns, please feel free to come to me, I will gladly help."

"Alright professor,"

"And Ash, don't be to hard on yourself or Draco for that matter, he's going through some troubling times," he said softly.

Confused Ash frowned at her headmaster and just before the reached the door another question jumped into her mind, making Ash look up at her Professor once again.

But all she received was that twinkling all-knowing smile of his as he opened the door for her and signalled a waiting Harry to enter his office. Just before he closed the door again, he nodded subtly and held up his finger to his mouth.

Once the door closed Ash was still staring, nodding to herself in slow motion.


	53. Chapter 52 - Getting Involved

Once she let the conversation with Dumbledore sink in, Ash turned around and walked down the stairs. Step for step she descended slowly until she reached the dark corridor where she turned towards the Great Hall.

When she walked into the hall, she let her gaze wander over the empty tables. The Gryffindor table on the one side of the hall was the fullest. A couple of the students had stayed and were now huddling together chatting along and eating their breakfast. In the middle of the table sat Ron and Hermione, a little quiet but always glancing at each other with meaningful looks.

Sighing she let her eyes fly over the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw table where no one (for her) important sat and ate. Lastly she let her eyes settle over the Slytherin table. The table was empty except for the giggle monsters that where eating and - who would have guessed - giggling.

Rolling her eyes she grabbed a bagel from the Hufflepuff table and walked out of the hall again. She didn't want to disturb the lovebirds, nor did she want to get to near them when their in the lovydovy or flirty mood. So instead of sitting down in the Great Hall, she ate her bagel while she walked towards the castle grounds, staring at the sky in dismay. It was raining.

Slowly she came to a stop at the edge of dryness, letting her hand reach forward and touch the falling wetness. Moving her hand calmly, she turned her palm up and cupped it, catching a couple of the rain drops in her hand. Letting the water run over her hands before falling onto the ground she let her mind wander and wonder.

Ever since the winter holidays things have started to get out off hand. Started to confuse and pull her in different ways. She knew what it all meant. She knew who was responsible. But she didn't know what it all lead to. It all confused her to no ends. It all didn't make any sense to her.

Why was it all happening around her?

What was her role in all of this?

She didn't know and honestly... she didn't really want to know. She didn't want to be involved in this fight, she didn't want to be involved in this whole situation. But it seems as if she couldn't get out of this. It seems as if she was stuck deeply in the whole mess and couldn't escape it any more.

Sighing, she finished her last bite of the bagel and turned to walk back to the Great Hall. Just before she entered she saw Harry walk up as well, quickly she smiled at him.

"You finished your little project with Dumbledore?"

"For today, yes," Harry answered quietly, looking at her curiously. "We'll be continuing tomorrow."

"Huh," Ash grunted with a nod, looking up at the boy-who-lived.

"Ash-" he suddenly started but Ash cut him off.

"Lets go to the others, I'm pretty sure they already know everything that you're involved in and that you'd tell them everything anyway. So lets get the others and try to get this whole mess sorted out a bit, alright?" Ash said, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah lets," he smiled and glanced at his two best friends. Ash smiled as well, following his gaze and together they walked up to the two of them.

"Bacchus," Ash said casually and walked through the gaping whole in the wall without stopping. The three Gryffindors followed her hesitantly.

"You sure its alright? Us being here?" Ron asked a bit uncomfortable with the place they currently stood in.

"Oh come on guys. Your common room is way to crowded with all those Gryffindors staying there. Moreover the library is bursting as well, we couldn't talk there quietly if our life's depended on it. Also I'm in control of the giggle monsters and forbade them to come here in the next five hours. So no worries."

"What about Draco?"

"No need to worry about him. He's probably in the Room of Requirements for the rest of the day."

"Probably?"

"Well, I don't have a bug on him to tell me where exactly he is, but its a very good and educated guess, trust me."

"How do you know?"

"He's been going there for the last three months whenever he could. Now that he can stay there the whole day long, I'm sure he will gladly do so."

"Yeah... makes sense... I guess," Ron said but them frowned. "How do you know that anyway?"

Ash looked at her cousin, with one of her eyebrows raised, "I followed him."

"Why would you do that?"

"I was concerned."

"Why would you be? You're not a couple any more."

Ash stayed quiet for a moment, but then smiled a sad smile. "You're right... I shouldn't but I can't help it. He's never looked this sad, hopeless and confused. You might not have noticed, but he's changing, he's starting to lose himself. I know its wrong, but I can't just watch him die within." With a sigh, she glanced at Harry, "enough about that, first tell me what you and Dumbledore are up to."

Harry nodded with a sigh. "Dumbledore told me you would ask. He gave me the O.K. to tell you," he said, but glanced at Hermione and Ron, so that they wouldn't interrupt him. "We're doing this since last year. He's telling me all he knows about Tom Riddle and how he's come to be Voldemort. His family life, how he grew up in an orphanage, his school life... everything."

"Why would you want to know all that? Isn't it enough to just kill him?" Ash interrupted.

"No. He's not so easy to kill... he's got something what is called a Horcrux. Ever heard of them?"

"Horcrux... no never, what is it?"

"From what we gathered, its an object that holds a fragment of its makers soul."

"His soul? That would mean that Voldemort split his soul... would it not? So he's only a fragment of his former human being..."

"Exactly."

"So... you have to destroy the Horcrux first?"

"Yes. We've already found and destroyed two of them but the others are still out there."

"Two of them? That means he has more than one."

"Six to be exact."

"He shattered his soul into six parts? No wonder he's such a poor excuse for a human being," Ash said softly. "How are they made?"

"Murder and the wizard placing a part of the soul into the object desired."

Ash coughed a bit and looked at Harry in a sad way. "And all of them need to be destroyed?"

"Yes, we're searching all over the place for the others, but - "

"And who will destroy you?" Ash asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on Harry, don't tell me you didn't-" Ash started but stopped when she saw the confused look on her friends face, "never mind."

"No Ash tell me!"

"I don't know anything."

"But you've got an idea, what is it?"

Ash glanced around the room uncomfortably, looking at Hermione for support, but she looked just as confused as Harry, "I don't want too."

"Ash!" Ron said fiercely.

Taking a deep shaky breath, Ash looked at the floor, playing with her fingers uncomfortably and began talking. "I can't be sure or anything, but from what you told me it would be a very good explanation on why you are still alive. Why you lived through the Avada Curse."

Harry looked at her, still confused. But Hermoine seemed to get what Ash was going on about. "The murder... and then placing the soul... I guess a human being could be used as a vessel for the soul fragment..."

"What are you guys talking about?" Ron asked frustrated.

"Think about it," Hermione said, voice shaking. "What happened on the night Voldemort murdered his parents? Why does Harry have some of Voldemorts powers? Like Paseltongue. Something went into him when Voldemort tried to kill him, that is why the connection between them is so strong."

Slowly it seemed to dawn to the the two boys.

"You mean? I'm a-?" Harry choked out quietly.

"Yes Harry, I think you could be one of the Horcruxes. It somehow fits..."

"I'm sorry guys, I guessed you would have thought of that already. I'm such an idiot," Ash cursed herself when she saw the horrified looks in their faces.

"No. No, Ash! It's alright. It's alright," Harry said shaking his head and pulling Ash back towards them. "I'm thankful to you for your input in this. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have thought of that myself."

"But... it doesn't make any sense.. why would he make Harry a Horcrux and then try to kill him?" Ron asked confused and the others fell silent, they couldn't think of an answer.

"Maybe he didn't do it intentionally?" Ash asked and shrugged. "But I mean, we don't even know if my idea is in any way true. You should talk to Dumbledore about this."

"Yeah, I'll ask him tomorrow," Harry said quietly and nodded. "Lets talk about something else. Why did you come to Dumbledore this morning?"

Ash inhaled sharply. "Because... because I was concerned for Draco," she admitted and looked to the ground. "He looks terrible and he's always spending his time in that stupid Room of Requirements. Ever since the winter holidays, something happened to him... he's scared and I don't know why."

"You sure you don't?" Hermione asked softly making Ash stiffen and chuckle harshly.

"I can only guess that it has something to do with the fact that he's a Death Eater."

"He's what?" Ron yelled jumping from his seat on the black leather couch and starring at his cousin horrified.

"It's part of the reason why I broke up with him. Since the winter holidays he's a Death Eater. When I found him with Pansy I also saw the sign on his arm."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"I promised him I wouldn't," Ash said truthfully with an emotionless face.

"You _promised_ him? Bloody hell, Ash!"

Ash rolled her eyes at her cousins reaction, although she did understand where he was coming from. "Anyway," she said sternly, telling Ron to shut up and calm down with her tone of voice. "Since we've come back to Hogwarts he's been behaving weirdly and has been locking himself in that room."

"So you think he's doing something Death Eaterish in there?"

"I don't only believe so, I know so. I followed Draco today and he was talking to Snape, pretty much indicating what he was working on a project for the Dark Lord," Ash said and sighed.

"What did you just say?" Harry asked slowly, eyes closing into a small glare.

"Um, that Draco was indicating that he was working on a project for Voldemort towards Snape"

"No, you said the Dark Lord."

"Yeah, could be... why does it matter?"

"Only his followers call him by that name"

Ash looked at him in astonishment, then her face went to annoyed. "Oh really Harry? You're paranoid you know that? I've been spending the last year around people who all refer to him as the Dark Lord, sorry if it manifested into my vocabulary a bit," she said rolling her eyes. When she saw that his eyes didn't soften, Ash sighed and stood up from her place. "You know what? Forget it. Try to get over your paranoia and if you're able to think rationally again come and find me," she told him, "I believe you can find the exit yourself?" she added and motioned towards the exit with her hand before turning away and walking towards her dorm room.

"Ash! Wait," Hermione called out to her, making Ash stop in an instant, "he didn't mean it that way. You're right, he's paranoid, but can't you see where he's coming from with Voldemort being on him all the time?" she tried to reason with the other girl.

Sighing Ash turned around again and walked back up to the trio. Slowly she came to a halt in front of Harry, looking down on him and then slapping him straight across the face.

Holding his throbbing cheek Harry looked up at Ash in shock. "Are we clear?" Ash asked softly and Harry closed his eyes before nodding.

"Yes, we're clear."

"Good."

"Do you have any idea what Draco is doing in the Room of Requirements?"

"I think I did at one point, but my memories are a bit messed with."

"What do you mean?"

"That was the second reason why I went to Dumbledore, I heard Draco say something about me supposed to forget something and Snape telling him that I definitely didn't remember that night."

"What happened that night?" Ron asked.

Ash stopped short and turned to look at Ron, "I just said I can't remember that night because my memories were messed with."

"Oh yeah, sorry... Do you at least know what night their talking about?"

"Nope, no idea what so ever. Personally I think I remember everything perfectly. But... it doesn't seem so. It's really annoying..."

"And what do you intend to do about it?"

"Nothing. I'm pretty sure that whatever happened that night... I don't want to remember."

"What did Dumbledore say?"

"That I shouldn't try to remember."

Silence settled over the four of them as they contemplated what that meant, that even Dumbledore told Ash not to remember...

"So what should we do now?" Ash asked when the silence got to stuffy for her. The others looked at her and shrugged.

"We don't really have enough information to do anything right now," Harry said.

"Then how about we don't waste this time on sitting around, but learn for the upcoming N.E.W.T.s?" They looked at Hermione with shocked faces, but then complied and pulled out their books to start learning.


	54. Chapter 53 - Fulfilling A Promise

Ash slowly opened her eyes when her consciousness returned to her and she started to wake up. Yawning she let her legs slip over the side of the bed and stood up stretching. Only glancing at the clock she had finally bought herself a week ago - it said 6:20. Groaning, she grabbed a few things to put on and went into the shower.

It had been nearly two weeks since that conversation and even though they discussed things everyday, they didn't really get any further. What did Draco do in the Room of Requirements? What could be another Horcrux of Voldemort? Questions over questions, but the only thing they were able to answer was who Bogrod the Bearded was and how Urg the Unclean helped in the Goblin Rebellion.

When she finished getting presentable, she walked out of the bathroom and nearly got an heart attack!

On her bed sat Draco. He had started to look better, getting more sleep, actually showing his face in the public again, looking after his appearance... Whatever he needed to do for the Dark Lord, he'd gotten somewhere.

"Bloody Hell Draco!" she gasped, when she calmed a bit.

"Did I scare you?" Draco said with his tattle tale smirk.

"No, you just surprised me, Why are you here? And how did you get here?"

"Today is such nice weather, I don't want to spend the whole day on my own," he said quietly and let his upper body fall onto her bed, closing his eyes in the process. "And I got here through the door."

"Y-you want to do something with me?"

"Yes! Lets go a run together!... well more like, you run and I cling to you for dear life again," he said laughing.

Ash looked at Draco with wide eyes. "What makes you think I would do something with you?"

Draco propped himself up on his elbows, so the he could see her better. "Why would you not?"

"Oh, maybe because when you fucked that bitch you also fucked up our relationship and any chance of us being friends," Ash fumed.

"Oh your such a pansy."

"No you fucked Pansy, you chauvinistic ass," Ash countered with a glare.

"I also fucked you," he countered with a sly grin, infuriating Ash even more. Seeing red she jumped on him and pinned him to her bed sheets. With an growing smirk Draco took in the situation. "Wanna do it again, huh?"

As the words reached Ash, she started to take in their body posture and got wide eyed. Swiftly she tried to get off her ex-boyfriend again, but he had used her confusion to flip them over, so that he was now on top of her.

"Get off of me!" Ash screamed, trying to wiggle herself free of his grip.

"And what do I get for that?" he said seductively, letting his face near hers.

"No!" she said when his lips nearly touched her own and quickly she turned her head to the side, fighting back tears. She could feel his hand let go of her arm and travel down the side of her body. She stiffened.

Suddenly she felt Draco give her a peck on the cheek and start laughing, pushing himself off of her. "Merlin! You should have seen your face!" he laughed before looking at her. When he saw her face and crying form, he froze. "You... you really did think that I would rape you!" Draco gasped astonished and stepped a few steps away from her. "What do you think of me?" he asked shocked. But he forgot about that as soon as he clearly saw Ash, cradling herself on her bed.

"Fuck, Ash!" he cried and quickly got to her side, pulling her against his chest and holding her tight, letting her cry against his chest. "Ash I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you like that," he chanted into her ear, rocking her shaking form for comfort. "I was only joking."

Slowly he felt his ex-girlfriend relax her muscles against him and felt her snake her arms around him for a stronger hold.

"Shhh," he cooed into her ear softly, "everything will be alright, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Shhhh."

After another few minutes Ash finally stopped crying and soon after that she let her arms around Draco retreat and slid away from him. Watching her every move with worried eyes, Draco let her go without protest. Slowly she got off the bed and started to walk up and down the room.

"I'm sorry," Draco said softly.

"You should be," Ash spat. "Rape is in no way a laughing matter," she said quietly, more to herself then him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'd rather not."

"Does it... does it have to do something with that Patrick person? The one that attacked us at the Haunted shack?" he interrogated quietly.

Looking at him with a sideways glance, Ash sighed and started walking towards the door, just before she walked out of it, she motioned Draco to follow her, with a nod of her head. Together they walked out of the dorms, out of the common room, out of the castle, without ever meeting another living soul.

Once outside the castle, Ash turned into her wolf form and waited for Draco to transform as well and make himself comfortable around her waist. Feeling his scaly skin wrap around her furry waist once again, made shivers run along her body and as soon as she could, she sprinted off into the woods.

Tree after tree rushed past them, the fresh morning air brushed their faces and ran along their bodies and the rising sun tainted the sky in the colour of strawberry ice cream and lightened their way.

Throughout the trip, they didn't say a word to each other. Letting their minds run loose in their own secret thoughts.

Finally Ash slowed down and came to an halt shortly before they reached an specific clearing. Changing back into their own human forms, they walked over to the clearing.

It was the clearing that they had often run of to when they were still together. The clearing that Draco had brought her on their first date. They hadn't visited this clearing since the time where Ash promised Draco that she would tell him her story one day, but it was still the same as always. A small clearing right at the edge of a cliff that was looking over the whole mountain panorama around them. The first time they came here, the sun just happened to sink behind the gigantic stones and taint the whole sky in a fiery red, but today the sun behind them tainted the snowy tops of the mountains and the freezing sky above them in a warm and comfortable pink.

With a sigh Ash walked over to the cliffs edge and sat down, her legs hanging over the abyss. Quietly Draco followed her example and waited for her to speak. Together they watched the changing colours of the sky as the sun rose behind them.

"You want to know my story?" she finally said and glanced over at the boy next to her. He kept staring at the landscape, but nodded - signalling to her that he was listening. Turning her head back to the view, Ash fingered the ring on her finger and began to tell him everything.

She told him about Patrick, who he was, what he meant to her... what he did - at that part she noticed Draco stiffen, remembering this morning and finally understanding her reaction.

She told him about the death of her parents and the reason why she didn't think to fondly of Death Eaters - again she saw him stiffen and bite his lips with guilt.

She told him about her escape and her life in the muggle world.

She told him about the time her family found her at the Englischer Garten.

She told him about their desperate attempts to bring her back to normal.

She told him everything that happened before she came to Hogwarts, never did Draco interrupt her.

When she finished, the tears still flowed over her face freely, but she never brushed them away. Looking up at the sun in silence, she noticed that it had reached the peak of its daily span and was already starting to sink as the afternoon began.

After what seemed an eternity of silence, Draco finally spoke. "Thank you," was all he said before he stood up and turned to leave.

"Is that all you've got to say?" Ash demanded.

"I don't know what else I could say," he replied.

Ash smiled, as she continued staring out at the landscape and let Draco leave her. As soon as he reached the end of the clearing, he turned into the yellowish white snake again and slithered away into the shadows, leaving Ash all alone in the clearing, sun burning down on her.

Some time later that day, a few Hogwarts students saw her emerge from the forbidden forest and walk up the lake where she had seen her cousin and his friends sit and talk, while enjoying the warm sun. When she reached them, they smiled at her and laughing Hermione pulled out a stray branch from the Slytherin girls hair.


	55. Chapter 54 - Same but Different

After the conversation with Draco, Ash finally felt the last strings of their relationship snap and free her. Finally she was able to breath freely again, finally she could see past the barriers of her shattered heart. Start to mend it and regain power over her self and the situation. Fulfilling her promise with Draco was the best thing she could have done for herself.

The last two weeks she had spend with her family - yes she considered Harry and Hermione part of the family - and had gotten a sneak preview on their lives and the puzzles they were always thinking about. She learned to understand the situation and them. She knew that she was now a part of it, that she couldn't hide or run away any more, but she wouldn't have wanted to either. She was a part of that dark and sinister world they had been thrown into and she would fight for it with all her might.

_But only after graduation,_ Ash told herself with a small loopy smile. Sure the three of them were already in the middle of the whole war, but she was still an outsider. She was still an Slytherin. Brave? Yes. Suicidal? Maybe. Stupid enough to jump right into action without the real need having arose yet? No, definitely not.

Another thing she had come to notice during the last few days - especially after the conversation with Draco - were the feelings she had come to push away or didn't acknowledge. She missed her friends, she missed Tracy and she definitely missed Blaise. Two weeks are a long time to be separated from the people you love the most...

Currently she was sitting on a lonesome bench at the train station of Hogsmeade, playing with the moonstone ring that Blaise had given her for Christmas. Hagrid had agreed to take her with him so that she could be the first to welcome her friends when they got home.

Hagrid was standing a few meters away from her and was looking out into the night, hoping to spot the nearing train.

Finally a smile spread across his face, "their 'ere," he told her.

"Merlin! I'm excited!" Ash answered with a grin on her face and jumping off the bench. Quickly she raced over to where Hagrid was standing and strained her eyes to see.

Hagrid didn't lie. There the candy red train was, slowly emerging in the distance and growing in height gradually. Soon they could hear the first rolling sounds, next they could hear the whistle of the train blowing in excitement. Hagrid waved his lamp up and down, showing the train driver that they were nearly there.

There! The first screeching of the wheels. The train slowed down rapidly and then it stood right before them.

Grinning Ash raced to the bench again and moved to stand on it. Overlooking the whole student body, Ash watched as the first tired looking people walked out of the train. Gradually more people escaped the refinements of the train and finally she saw them.

Blaise, Tracy and Chase emerged the train together. A happy smile spread over Ash's face when she looked at the tanned, well rested faces of her friends. Quickly her eyes flew over Chase and Tracy - seeing that they were good and happy to be back, but they lingered at Blaise. He looked just as happy as the other two, but something was different.

_Haircut? Nope, the same,_ she analysed. _Body? Same. Clothes? Same. Smile? Same..._ Just what was different? Ash had no idea, but she just shrugged it off and yelled out to them, racing over when they saw her.

When she reached them, she saw Tracy grin at her and quickly they hugged. Next she hugged Chase and then turned to Blaise.

"Hey," she said softly a small smile playing with her lips.

"Hey, he replied. "Don't I get a hug?" he asked with a smile and held out his hands.

"Of course you do!" Ash could have slapped herself for not doing so right away. But she had been memorized again, checking out Blaise. Trying to figure out what had changed. "I missed you," she whispered into his ear never wanting to let go.

"I missed you too!" he answered with a smile and held her tightly.

Suddenly a cough ripped them out off their embrace. "Sorry to disturb you two... but we are hungry," Tracy said whilst sticking her head right next to her friends.

Briskly the disentangled and looked at their friends sheepishly. "Yeah sorry," Ash mumbled and turned into the directions of the carriages that would bring them to the castle.

They were sitting at the Slytherin table together. Food spread across from them and chatting excitedly.

"So what did you guys do during the holiday?" Ash asked excitedly.

"Me, mom and Hector went on a family holiday in South America," Blaise answered with a small smile. "Brazil to be exact. It was pretty nice."

"Ahh! I'm jealous!" Ash whined.

"You could have come with us," Blaise reminded her.

"I know, but I didn't want to impose on your family too much," she told him quietly with a smile.

"You wouldn't have," Blaise told her with a small smile of his own, "you never do."

Tracy and Chase stayed quiet and just watched the two of them converse. _It seems like the two weeks apart were just the thing they needed,_ Tracy thought to herself silently, fully entertained by watching them. Smiling at Chase, she saw him roll his eyes at them with a humoured smile and turn back too the food on his plate.

"What about you Trace? What did you do?" Ash suddenly asked, ripping her eyes away from Blaise and focusing on her other friend with red tainted cheeks.

"Ah, I didn't really do very much," Tracy answered, waving her hand in a dismissive way. "Mostly studied. What about you? Did we miss anything here in Hogwarts while we were gone?"

Ash looked at them and thought back at the conversation between Draco and Snape. She remembered the countless hours off discussion with her family on Voldemort, his Horcrux's and next moves and the little conversation with Draco a few days ago. "No not really," she smiled at her friends, "same boring life as ever!"

Her friends laughed, "Ash your life is never boring!"


	56. Chapter 55 - NEWTs

With her friends back at her side, everything turned back to normal in Hogwarts. Well, at least as normal as it could get with Ash's hyperactivity and the N.E.W.T.s coming up.

Sure Ash had already stuffed most of the information she could need into her brain during the holidays with Hermione and the others, but there was still a lot of information and facts that needed refreshing in her mind. Therefore, instead of actually thinking of pranks and partying, she and her friends in the 7th year mostly sat in the library and studied.

"I feel like my head is about to explode!" Tracy whined next to her and let her head fall down on the text book she was currently reading.

Giggling, Ash let a hand run over her friends back to sooth her, "I know, I know. But you have too get through this just a few more days! Then we'll write those terrible, terrible exams and when we're done with that, we'll be free as a fly and will never have to do this stuff never again!"

"Really? Never again?"

"Never again."

"Alright," Tracy said with new motivation, "lets get this over with!"

The three off them laughed and went back to reading their textbooks, copying important information out and trying to memorize them in their slowly overflowing heads.

"I feel sick," Blaise said quietly as they were standing outside the doors of the Great Hall that had been changed into their examination room. Today was their first exam, the first live or die situation that would decide what they would be able to do after their Graduation.

Would they be able to work in the Ministry of Magic? As Auror? In Law enforcement? In Accidents and Catastrophes? Mysteries? or would they need to find jobs that you could get with your O.W.L.s? Were the last two years for nothing?

"Don't worry, everything will be alright!" Ash tried to get him too feel better.

"Easy for you to say! Your brain is like a sponge, you know everything! Especially about Potions!"

"Not true! There's a lot of things that escape my mind again."

"But not with Snapes subject!"

Not arguing back, the two of them fell silent once again. Slowly she glanced over the 20 people stationed before the doors. It was her whole Potions class, huddling together, whispering a few last minutes reviews and playing with their feathers. Over at the other side of the crowd she could see a sick looking Ron, Harry and Hermione and leaning against the wall opposite the doors was Draco, looking a bit queasy as well. Everyone was waiting for the doors to open and the exams to begin.

The Great Hall was filled with four neatly formed lines of tables and chairs that were at least two meters apart from each other. In each row were twelve tables to seat all of the 47 students that took the N.E.W.T.s this year. With the space each student had, there was no chance of cheating in this exam, no chance of the slightest peek at their neighbours paper, no chance of them hearing someone mutter an answer under their breath.

"You will all be sitting on an assigned seat, so please line up at the door and come to me when I call your name!" Professor Snape sneered standing at the first table.

"Abbot, Hannah!" swiftly the Hufflepuff rushed forward and sat down at the table Snape had pointed her too.

Briskly he went to the next table and called, "Boot, Terry!" The Ravenclaw followed Abbots example.

One after the other he called out to them and lured them to their own table on which they would be writing their exams.

Being cursed with the names of Weasley and Zabini, Ash, Ron and Blaise were the last ones standing at the door, shivering with anticipation

"Weasley, Ash!" Snape called out and pointed her to the third table of the last row. Quietly she jogged over to that table and slowly sat down on the chair that she just slid out from under the table.

While her cousin and her best friend were seated behind her, she looked around her with big eyes. The Great Hall looked somewhat different from the table she was currently sitting on. Hearing Blaise sitting down, she turned her eyes on Snape. Watching him as he slowly paraded through the aisle and sit down in front of them on his own table.

"The rules are simple. Cheat and you fail. Try to cheat and you fail. Talk and you fail. Let your eyes stray from your paper and you fail. Don't answer all the questions and you fail. Answer the questions incorrectly and you fail. The only way to pass this simple test is by answer all the questions and getting them right, are we clear?"

Everyone nodded their heads while trying to ignore the queasy feeling in their stomachs.

"If you have questions raise you hands I will come over to you. If you need to use the toilet raise you hands and Mister Filch will accompany you to the toilet and back. If you finish the exam after an hour and before the last half hour, you may leave the room. But don't stray to far because the practical exam will be taken half an hour after this written exam is over. Any questions?" No body moved.

With a nod of Snape, the papers that were piled on his table began to float and landed right in front of them.

"You have 2 hours for this paper. Begin," he sneered and all around them the potions students flipped their papers, inked their feathers and began.

After one hour and 25 minutes Ash raised her hand and waited for Snape to grudgingly walk over to her.

"Yes?" he snapped.

"I'm finished," she told him and handed over her exam paper.

"Alright, get out of here. The practical test will start in one hour and 5 minutes, be on time." he said quietly as Ash took her feather and got off her chair. Feeling a couple of eyes on her, Ash glanced at Ron and Blaise as she passed them and smiled at the encouragingly, their answering glances were more of a frustrated glare and a unbelieving stare.

Quickly she walked out of the doors and shut them behind her once again. When she saw that no one was in sight, she turned to the castle exit and ran outside hoping to enjoy a few sun rays and fresh air before she had to once again go into the stuffy examination Hall.

"Ash!" she suddenly heard a voice call behind her and turned around to find Tracy walk up to her. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to write you exam right now?"

"I was finished early."

"Oh, OK. How did it go?"

"Well it's potions, one of the subject that comes easiest to me. So it went quiet well, but it was still hard," she said with a sober facial expression.

"That's good. And how did the others look when you left?"

"Frustrated to say the least."

"Ouch. I hope they'll be alright."

"Don't worry about them, their big boys. They can manage this."

Tracy smiled at Ash as she leaned against the railing of the corridor they were in and looked out into the gardens, "I guess you're right... How long do you have until the next part of the exam?"

"About another half an hour," Ash answered with a peek at the clock.

Relaxed and feeling quiet confident, Ash entered the Great Hall again and sat on her assigned table when the practical examination began.

"Quiet down now!" Snape snapped as everyone was at their assigned seats. "You will be making a drought of living death. Here on this board there are three recipes, one of them being correct."

A shocked silence filled the room as they looked at the board and tried to remember which of the recipes was correct. The Draught of Living Death was the first potion they did in their N.E.W.T.s class in sixth grade. For many it was to long ago to really remember.

"Same rules as before. You have 3 hours. Begin."

And they began.

Slowly Ash read through the recipes and figured that the one in the middle was the correct one, although when her mother once taught her about it, she had been told to do it a bit differently. Taking her time she pulled out the ingredients she would need and began to work.

After the three hours of crushing beans and stirring the potion, letting it settle down and hearing a few potions explode here and there, Ash stared into her finished potion. Black as the night it lay in the cauldron untouched and deathly still. Slowly she raised her hand.

Quietly Snape walked over to her and looked inside the cauldron. Nodding to himself he gave his student five vessels in which she was to pour the draught for easier transport.

When everyone finished, Snape dismissed them all.

"That didn't go all to bad now, didn't it?" Ash asked as she and Blaise walked through the doors of the Great Hall together.

"For you it didn't, I have absolutely no idea if I managed!"

"Oh I'm sure you did!"

"Yeah? Well, lets just forget about this one and concentrate on Transfigurations tomorrow!"

"Freedom!" one of the robed teenagers yelled as the doors opened and they raced out off the Great Hall where they just wrote their last exam of the year. The last school exam they would ever have to write.

Laughing at the boy, two girls and a boy followed him and shook their heads.

"Where do you want to go now?" one of the girls - the one with strawberry blond hair - asked her friends.

"Well there's still time until the party, so how about we go to the lake for the rest of the afternoon?" the dark skinned boy suggested.

"Yes! The lake!" the girls grinned and started skipping into the lakes direction.

"I can't wait for tonight!" the black haired girl grinned widely at her friends as they sat down under the shades of a tree near the lake.

"I know! The party will be a blast! I mean we're finished! Over and out, never again do we have to go into stuffy classrooms, never again will we have to listen to the monotone voices of the teachers, never again!" the blond girl laughed happily.

"Well, theoretically that only starts tomorrow," the boy corrected. "Tomorrow when we get those certificates."

Both girls looked at the boy and rolled their eyes. Sure he was correct, but did he really have to dampen their happiness with all those unimportant details?

"Whatever," the blond sighed before grinning again, "it'll still be a blast!"


	57. Chapter 56 - The Night Before Graduation

"What are you wearing?" Tracy asked when she came out off the bathroom. She was wearing wonderful short silken black dress that flowed around her body and showed off her every curve. It was shoulder free on one side and on the other a thin ruffled fabric kept the dress together. Around her bust and the trim was a embroideries that brought the pep into the dress and made it perfect. Together with the dress she was wearing black high heels with strings that wrapped around her thighs. To fit the outfit, she had put her hair up into a loose bun and accentuated her eyes with black make-up.

"You look fantastic," her friend complimented her.

"Thanks," Tracy grinned and checked out her friend. "You look absolutely stunning," she told her friend before grinning even wider and adding, "but when ever do you not?"

Laughing at Tracy's compliment, Ash looked herself in the mirror. She was wearing a white strapless dress with rich black lace appliqués and a black cumber bun inched waist. Together with the dress she wore black high heels.

"Lets go!" Ash smiled and held out her arm for Tracy to hook into, before they walked out off their dorm room and entered the party of the school life, their graduation party!

"Ash! Tracy! Over here!" they heard a voice call from the crowd and as they looked they saw Theodore grinning and waving at them, just behind him they saw Blaise sit together with the other seventh year Slytherins.

"Hey guys!" Ash and Tracy greeted them cheerfully. Today was their last day here, none of them wanted to ruin the evening with bickering. Sitting down next to Blaise, Ash let her eyes sweep over the room. It didn't look different then any party they were on before, but somehow it seemed even more beautiful them the first time she saw it. The seaweed was slowly gliding through the water, dancing to the beat of their very own song. She knew everyone of the people that were here, being entertained by the comforting vibrations of the music they were currently listening too.

The room was illuminated by the warm green lights and a couple of floating lights that someone had magicked there. Like always one of the sofa colonies was pushed against the wall and had made space for a dance floor on which several people were already grooving to the beat of the music and ground their hips together.

Next to one of the moved sofas they had build their typical bar with beer and mead, wine and whiskey and a couple of soft drinks. Curiously, she watched as Crabbe and Goyle walked over to the bar and they each got a handful of beer. Telling the designated bar watchers to be careful that no first and second years would be able to get alcoholic drinks, they came back and handed each of them a bottle.

Smiling, she accepted the bottle of beer that was given to her and leaned onto Blaise, while listening to the musical beats. Gradually, she could feel Blaise's arm snaking around her waist, making the position more comfortable for both of them. With a content smile she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

When she finished her first beer, she slowly separated from Blaise. Looking into his confused face, Ash smiled and motioned towards the dance floor. Grinning, Blaise accepted her invitation and got off the couch they had lounged on and followed his friend up to where everyone was moving to the music.

At first they started dancing like they always did, together but further apart, just dancing for themselves. But after a few more songs and one or two bottles of beer the two of them seemed to become more confident and slowly neared each other.

Sparks pulsated up and down her body every time they touched and that feeling was slowly getting addicting to both of them. Pulling her toward him, he let his arms wrap around her waist while she interlinked her fingers behind his neck.

Caught in his chocolate brown eyes, she never let her eyes stray away from him, focussing her full attention on him and him alone. The world around her not only got unimportant and blurry, but vanished fully. Nothing was there except the boy in her arms, the electricity that ran through her body and made her heart beat increase and herself, not moving to the beat of the music but to their own beat.

Step after step their bodies melted into each other, beat after beat they were sucked deeper into the bliss, movement after movement they started to move as one.

As if caught in a spell, she saw Blaise lean down to her, felt his arm travelling up her back to cup her cheek, heard nothing but his hesitant breath as the space between their faces diminished, inhaled his scent of sweet sweat and vanilla and finally tasted his full lips as they softly crashed down onto hers.

Pulling him as close as possible she kissed him passionately trying to take him in, too show him how much she wanted him, needed him. Broomsticks did looping's inside her stomach, as Blaise kissed her back just as passionately and pulled her closer towards him. Ash wished this could go on forever but as every other human being, the two of them needed to separate when they felt the light headed due to the lack of oxygen.

Slowly moving their faces away from each other they stared into each others eyes. Reality starting to slowly come back to them.

Taking the lead, Ash started to listen to the music that surrounded them and began moving her body to the beat, grinding against him in pleasure, letting the alcohol in her blood take control of her for a few minutes.

Together they moved to the beats and began moving as one again. Every little friction made her body shiver. Still entranced in his eyes, she pushed her hips against his to the rhythm that vibrated in the air around them.

His hands stroked over her back and pulled her nearer, while she held onto his shoulder with one hand for support while the other gently ran down his back and hooked onto the back pocket of his pants.

They were already breathing heavily, feeling each other shiver under their touch, but they didn't feel the need to stop.

All that mattered at this moment was her body against his. His body against hers. Electricity running through every cell in their body.

A moan escaped her lips when their hips brushed against each other once more. Pulling him into another heated kiss, she tried to regain control of the situation. Slowly the kiss became less heated, less needy. It became passionate, soft and warm. Ending the kiss with butterfly kisses as they pulled apart.

Ash stared into Blaise's chocolate eyes again, memorized.

"Hey," she said softly, lacking of any other words.

Chuckling Blaise answered with a "Hey."

Tasting her lower lip, Ash tried to keep a smile from forming on her lips but failed miserably. Looking around awkwardly, Ash tried to figure out what she should do next. "I... I think I'll get a drink. Do you want one as well?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, please."

"Alright, be right back!" she said with a smile and started walking away, before turning back and giving him another small peck on the lips. "Don't move," she whispered into his ear and swiftly walked up the the bar and grabbing two bottles of beer.

"Bloody Merlin, Ash!" she heard Tracy say from behind her.

Surprised she turned to look at her friend. "Hey Trace," she answered.

"You - you and Blaise just - just kissed!" Tracy squealed in excitement, making Ash blush.

"Y-y-yeah."

"Finally! Do you know how long I waited for this?" Tracy stated looking at Blaise, who saw Ash being trapped by Tracy and had walked up to them. Slowly, as if asking for permission, he slid his arms around Ash and pulled her in front of him, placing his head on top of hers. They laughed lightly at her tone of voice while simply enjoying their company.

"Here's your beer," Ash stated and held out one of the beers for him to take.

"Thanks."

They stayed this light headed for a couple of hours, sometimes dancing but mainly sitting on the couch and talking. Every now and then they separated to talk with others, then found each again and separated again.

To be quiet honest, they had no idea what they should do now, how to react on the situation. What would happen next? Would everything be the same as always when they woke up the next morning? Would something have changed? They didn't know and without saying a word about it they decided to let it all come to them in their own time.

They had just split up again when Ash suddenly saw Draco look around suspiciously and then walked out of the common room.

Remembering the Easter holidays, her current suspicions on his person and Dumbledor's quiet order to watch him, Ash quickly glanced around herself and them swiftly raced after Draco through the wall into the corridor. To make sure he didn't hear her following him, Ash changed into her animal form and began stalking him like the predator she was.

She smelled a unexplainable fear in him, one that shook his entire being and made him clumsy and fidgety. While she watched him, she tried to remember the party. What had Draco been like? Had he already been scared and so out off character when Tracy and her had joined them? Did she miss anything?

Ash could hear a lot of things going on in the castle. Music beats reached her ears at all times, sometimes louder other times nearly not audible. Here and there she could hear a mouse hushing through the hallways and a few corridors down she heard Filch and Mrs. Norris patrol the castle. When they rushed passed a teachers office, Ash could hear a few groans and complaints about the amount of correcting they had to do. But she mainly focused on the clumsy and hurried steps of her prey.

Soon she figured out where Draco was heading towards. Like anticipated, he was heading towards the Room of Requirements.

Slowly nearing him, she hushed from shadow to shadow. Carefully placing each of her paws, watching out for everything that could stop her from reaching her objective.

Creeping up on her former boyfriend, she watched as he started pacing in front of the bare stone wall. Quietly she watched a door manifest itself in front of Draco and increased her pace of stalking when he started to open the door.

Still careful that she didn't make a sound, she tried to reach the door and slip inside before it fell shut. Just in time she got her paw in between the door and the room and silently pushed it open and stepped inside...

Everything was dark as she entered the room Draco had spend so much of his time in, only in the far end of the room could she see a light shine above the platinum blond head of Draco. Noiselessly she made her way through the cupboard like room. When she looked around herself, she saw a lot off random object littering the floor and shelves.

If she remembered correctly this would be the Room of Hidden Things that Harry and Ginny had told her about.

Casually she stalked through the shadows until she nearly reached Draco and was just outside his sphere of light.

He was standing in front of a large black cabinet that reminded her... reminded her... reminded her of the cabinet she had seen Draco look at in the winter holidays, the Vanishing Cabinet! But it wasn't the same one, she saw as she starred at it a bit longer. Same wood, same height, same way of making them, but this one had seen a lot more difficulties than the rest.

All this information sounded old. She knew about all of this! But how? Why did it seem so familiar?

Confused, she continued watching Draco as he starred at the watch and began chanting, "Harmonia Nectere Passus, Harmonia Nectere Passus, Harmonia Nectere Passus."

Suddenly there was a swooshing sound and shaking with anticipation Draco opened the cabinet door. To her horror, a human being stepped out off the cabinet, looking a little bit dazed when they saw Draco smiling at them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Aunt Bellatrix," he said and helped the women out of the cabinet.

"You really did it Draco, such a good boy!" she snickered evilly and took his hand in hers as she climbed out the cabinet and he closed the door again, getting ready to assist the next Death Eater into Hogwarts.

Frozen stiff with fear, Ash starred as the Death Eaters emerged one after the other, invading her school.

Flashes of the night her parents died and another forgotten night rushing back at her.

_Sweat was running down her fathers face and the hand with which he was holding his wand was shaking uncontrollably. In front of him three cloaked men stood looking down at him._

Draco's guilt ridden face was staring down at her now, he was biting his lower lip, a trickle of blood flowing down his chin.

A green light ripped through her vision, blinding her.

The face she'd seen before replaced with the grinning face of Patrick.

Her mother lying in the floor dead.

The wall rushing at her in high speed as she is thrown against the stones.

Draco as he walked through the door and in the direction of the dorms.

A bat that flew at her with hypothesizing eyes.

Ash couldn't help but gasp as the memories of the night returned to her. She had confronted Draco and he had thrown her through the common room. She remembered the horror she had gone through and the pain that had run through her body.

Whimpering she tried to turn the memories off again, but she had only made it worse. One of the Death Eaters had heard her gasped and whimper in the shadows and threw a voiceless stunning spell at her.

"We have a spy," he said quietly and illuminated his wand, walking over to his victim. "A wolf?" he asked confused as he saw the stiff creature lying under the table.

Ash saw Draco's head snap around and rush over to them. Wide eyed he stared at her. "No, no, that's just some stuffed animal that has been here for a while," he said with a gulp, hoping his fellow Death Eaters would believe him.

"A stuffed animal, huh?" the other Death Eater said and started sniffing at her. "Smells pretty alive to me if you ask..." he sneered and destupefied her again. Ash tried to stay as stiff as possible but seemingly she did make a move because the Death Eater ripped her out from under the table and held her by the neck.

Growling in defence she tried to snap at him, but he was faster. "Avada Ke-" he started but Draco tore his arm away.

"No, don't! There has to be another way! Please don't kill her!" he begged and stood in front of her, saving her life once again.

The already invaded Death Eaters turned to look at Draco and the panting wolf behind him.

"What is that animal to you, Draco?" Bellatrix asked with a glare in her voice.

"Aunt Bellatrix, that is Ash Weasley. My former girlfriend," he told and lowered his head.

"What is she doing here?"

"I - I don't know," he answered truthfully and hung his head before looking at her. "What are you doing here?"

Glancing around the Death Eaters again and with a quick darting of her eyes towards the door, Ash knew he was trapped. Hanging her head she changed back to her former form and bit her lip. "I was following you," she admitted.

"Why?"

"B- Because I thought you were up to something... and I was right! How could you let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts?" Ash said disbelievingly.

Before Draco could answer, the Death Eaters - lead by Bellatrix - laughed at her. "Oh you stupid child, it was only a matter of time before we would enter here!" she screeched. "Now come on everyone, lets get started! Fenrir, take the girl but don't harm her. She seems to mean a lot to our little Draco here."

The man who had found her picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, holding onto her legs tightly so that she couldn't escape. She tried kicking and hitting him with all her might, but all her tries only seemed to humour him. With tears running down her eyes she watched the Death Eaters walk out of the Room of Hidden Things and created chaos and havoc in her beloved school.

"Draco go search for Dumbledore," Draco's aunt ordered and while Draco turned away into the direction of the headmasters office, the others turned into the direction of the Great Hall.

Tears flowing freely, she watched Draco leave her in the hands of these monsters and tried calling out to him, "Dra-!" but she never got to finish his name because Fenrir ripped her off his shoulder and slammed her against the wall only holding her up by her neck.

"Don't utter a single 'nother word, understood?" Struggling for air Ash tried nodding her head. Satisfied the animal like man threw her over his shoulder again and muttered, "good girl," before following the others again.

They were rushing through the school, bursting armours and cabinets and finally they reached the Great Hall. Ash watched as the Death Eaters shattered the windows. She watched as they destroyed the tables at which her friends, her family and herself had spend so much time in the last year. She watched as they ripped down the banners hanging from the wall and burned them and she watched as they shredded the last banner hanging on the ceiling, the one that said, "Congratulations Class of '98."

When they believed to have caused enough mess, the party of Death Eaters began to ascend the stairs towards the Astronomy tower.

"...don't you understand? I don't have a choice I have to kill you, otherwise he will kill me!" Ash heard Draco's shaking voice beg for forgiveness.

"Ah! Who have we hear?" Ash heard Bellatrix's voice say in glee as they reached the top of the Astronomy tower. "Good job Draco," she whispered at the boy as the others spread along the perimeter of the room. Ash couldn't see anything other then the floor and sometimes at the floor below when she gazed through the little gaps between the boards as Fenrir walked passed Draco.

"Good evening, Bellatrix," Dumbledore said calmly and started a conversation with the woman.

Ash didn't listen to their words as she stared at the floor in despair. Suddenly she had to gasped when she saw a horrified looking emerald eye behind a glass stare up at her. "Har-" she started, but couldn't finish as she was jerked off the shoulder once again and was pushed against Fenrir's chest, wand digging into her neck threateningly.

"I told you to shut up," the voice behind her growled and Ash stood stiff as a tree in fear. Lips trembling, knees frozen, tears flowing out of her eyes freely she looked up to see Dumbledore stare at her in horror.

"What is Ash doing here?" he asked shocked.

"Oh that stupid girl? She was spying out Draco. No idea why she would do something this stupid," Bellatrix said and walked up to her, stroking her wet and trembling cheek softly.

Ash stood stiff and stared at Dumbledore in fear as she saw something dawn to him.

_"And Ash, don't be to hard on yourself or Draco for that matter, he's going through some troubling times," he said softly._

Confused Ash frowned at her headmaster and just before the reached the door another question jumped into her mind, making Ash look up at her Professor once again, "do you think I should keep an eye on him?" she asked quietly.

But all she received as an answer was that twinkling all-knowing smile of his as he opened the door for her and signalled a waiting Harry to enter his office. Just before he closed the door again, he nodded subtly and held up his finger to his mouth.

He had given her the order to watch Draco! She was here due to his stupid mistake. "I'm sorry Ash," he said softly. Ash didn't answer but slowly closed her eyes and gave a small nod. She knew what was about to come and who could stay mad in this situation?

"Do it!" Bellatrix screeched at Draco.

"He's a pussy, just like his father! Let me kill him, Bellatrix... my way," the man binding her said with a harsh voice.

"No! The Dark Lord wants Draco to do it," she screamed at Fenrir, before turning back to Draco. "Do it Draco! Kill him!"

"Don't do it," another voice interrupted. All heads snapped to the staircase, where they saw Snape walk up to them in no hurry at all. Still threatened by the wand in Fenrir's hand, Ash couldn't look at her professor, therefore she only saw him from the corner of her eyes.

_Save us!_ she pleaded silently as she watched Snape stand behind Draco.

"Severus," Dumbledore said in a voice that didn't show any surprise but was drenched in defeat and plea as he said his final word, "please."

Without any hesitation, Ash heard Snape shout, "Avada Kedarvra!" A green light shot into her vision and hit her headmaster square in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards and down into the abyss.

While she saw the white man tumbling backwards, Ash lost all her strength the keep standing and nearly fell onto her knees, only the strong arms of the werewolf man were keeping her up as the Death Eaters rushed to the window to watch the corpse of a once great man fly towards the ground.

With a maniac laugh, Bellatrix threw her wand into the air and yelled, "Morsmordre," conjouring up the Dark Mark above the castle.

Like a sack, Ash didn't offer any more resistance as Fenrir heaved her over his shoulder again and the party of Death Eaters raced down the stairs again. She only glanced up once when they passed the hiding Harry. Shaking her head, she tried to tell him not to follow him not too try and avenge Dumbledore, not to follow them, to stay in hiding until they were gone. Once he was out of sight, she let her head slump down again and watched the floor they were passing.

At one time she heard a gasp from in front and when Fenrir and her passed, she saw a man lying on the floor stupefied and staring at her in horror.

As if on a high, the cloaked Death Eaters raced through the castle and out into the grounds. Passed a now burning ground keepers hut and into the forbidden forest.

Through her watery eyes Ash saw the sun rise behind the castle tainting the clouded sky in a bloody red and accentuating the horror of the Dark Mark that was floating in the sky...


	58. Chapter 57 - The End or?

Rushing into the forbidden forest, the Death Eaters carried me away from all that I loved, all that I cared about.

With me across his shoulder, Fenrir raced towards the end of the school grounds and together with the others he rushed through the weakened barrier and apparated away.

I could feel the air around us tightening and squeezing me into the wolf-man's shoulder. It became hard to breath as every bit of air was thoroughly pushed out off my lungs. I was struggling to stay alive without air for what seemed like hours and when I was near to losing my consciousness, I felt the apparation tube releasing me again. Fresh air rushed at me and I sucked it in as much as possible, nearly choking on the air as it entered me.

All around us, I could hear little popping sounds, indicating that the rest of the party had arrived in the Manor we were standing in.

The wolf-man that was carrying me, ripped me off his shoulder and threw me to his left without warning before he and the rest bowed low to a cloaked figure in a top chair.

"Good job my followers," the dark figure hissed in pleasure. "Although I am somewhat disappointed in you, Draco. I told _you_ to kill him."

"I'm sorry my Lord," Draco begged in a shaking voice, "I was just about to when Snape beat me to it."

"Hm, I'm feeling generous today. I won't punish you," the dark lord hissed quietly as he looked at Snape with a scrawl. I tried to stay still, not to move a muscle, in the hope that he wouldn't notice me but it didn't work, I saw his head snap to the side and study me. "Isn't this Miss. Weasley, you former girlfriend Draco?"

Draco glanced at me in fear and nodded, "yes, my lord."

"Why did you bring her?" he asked Fenrir this time.

"She was spying on Malfoy and we couldn't just let her go."

"Why didn't you just kill her?"

Fenrir glanced to his side, at Draco and Bellatrix, "they wouldn't let me."

"Bella?"

Bellatrix looked at her lord frantically, "I thought you would enjoy a little pet, my lord."

Laughing loudly, Voldemort stood up from his chair and walked up to me, grasping my jaw with his icy, slimy fingers. Slowly he moved my head from one side to the other and nodded, "throw her into the dungeons until I know what to do with her," he sneered and pushed me towards one of his followers.

Scared out of my wits, I tried to stumble away from the Death Eater that was closing in on me and screamed when he grabbed my leg and pulled me towards him. Quickly he threw me over his back and started walking out of the room.

"Draco!" I yelled as loud as I could, "Draco! Help me, please!" I pleaded and yelled for him, he didn't move a muscle, only stared at at the wall opposite me as I was dragged away and thrown into a dark, gloomy, cold stone dungeon.

Scared, cold and alone I huddled myself into one of the dungeon corners, hugging my self tightly for the little warmth I could get out of that.

Tears ran down my eyes as I sat there and remembered today.

Everything had been so perfect. Finishing the last exam with such a good feeling in my stomach! The afternoon that we spend at the lake. The party... the kiss I finally shared with Blaise... Everything had been going so well! Why did I have to be such a fucking idiot and follow Draco?

Finally the tears started to ebb away as my eyes slowly fell close and I drifted into a welcomed sleep.

Today, I watched as the Death Eaters had invaded my school.

Today, I watched as the Death Eaters caused havoc in my school.

Today, I watched as my potions teacher killed my headmaster.

Today, I watched his corpse fall down the Astronomy tower.

Today, I watched as the Dark Mark was thrown into the sky, declaring war to the Wizarding World.

Today, I watched as the Death Eaters set Hagrids hut into flames.

Today, I watched as the day that should have been the happiest day was turned into the worst and most horrifying day of my life.

Today, I watched and did nothing as the Death Eaters raced through the forbidden forest with me in tow.

Today is the 31st of June 1998.

Today was the day I was supposed to Graduate.

Today was the day I should have kissed Blaise again and told him that I loved him.

Today the second wizarding war began.

Today I saw destruction and death litter my way.

Today I was captured by the Death Eaters.

From today onwards I am a prisoner of the Dark Lord.

My name is Ash Weasley and that was my story...

**Want to know what happens to Ash in the clutches of the Death Eaters? Check out the Sequel "Gone Twisted" for more! **


End file.
